Veneer in

Furnier imInterior Work

Innenausbau
Definitionen
Definitions- –Eigenschaften - Verarbeitung
Properties – Veneering - Anwendungsbeispiele
– Examples of Veneer Use

Eine Informationsschrift
An information der Initiative
brochure published Furnier+Natur
by Initiative e.V., e.V.
Furnier+Natur
der TU Dresden und des Institutes für Holztechnologie Dresden

THE BEST
OF WOOD
VENEER
2 veneer in Interior Work
Foreword

Foreword

Architects and interior designers speak of the „age of materials“.

A recent market survey of architects by initiative Furnier + natur e.V. (iFn) substantiates the enor-
mous interest in, in their eyes, unique, honest and timeless material veneer, positioned between
tradition and innovation.

However, as trendsetters, multipliers and co-decision makers in building, modernising, fitting out
and furnishing, they do not feel adequately informed to give decisive stimulus and encourage use
of veneer.

The architects have the technical knowledge. Some will have trained as a joiner or cabinet maker
before starting their degree in architecture. A greater problem is rather the knowledge that today‘s
students have about veneer, and therefore future architects. Their knowledge and relationship to
veneer is deemed to be rather scant.

This brochure „Veneer in Interior Work. Definition – Properties - Veneering and Examples of
Veneer Use“ provides basic and comprehensive specialist knowledge for students about the use
of veneer in interior work. The high specialist level is authoritatively vouched for by the Profes-
sor of Wood and Fibrous Materials Engineering of Dresden TU and Dresden Institute of Wood
Technology (Institut für Holztechnologie Dresden gemeinnützige GmbH). Together a standard
work and valuable resource has been created, which is intended to extend specialist knowledge
of veneer.

Dirk-Uwe Klaas

Managing Director of Initiative Furnier+Natur e.V.

 veneer in Interior Work 3
Contents

Contents

1 Introduction 4 4 Examples of veneer use 44

1.1 What is veneer? 4 4.1 Components 44
1.2 Definition 4 4.2 Interior work 46
1.3 History 5 4.3 Invitations to tender for the
interior work 48

2 Material 6
2.1 Raw wood 6 Glossary50
2.2 Veneer production 7
2.2.1 Bark stripping, cutting to length,
flitching 8 Sources60
2.2.2 Steaming and cooking 8
2.2.3 Production techniques 9
2.2.4 Drying, trimming, bundling 13 Brief-portrait of the IHD and TUD 61
2.2.5 Appraising and measuring 13
2.3 Veneer properties 14
2.3.1 Production-induced characteristics 14 Imprint62
2.3.2 Mechanical properties 15
2.3.3 Colours and visual properties 17
2.3.4 Figures 18
2.3.5 Growth features 20
2.4 Quality assurance, grading
and marking 22

3 Veneering 24
3.1 Cutting and jointing veneer 25
3.2 Laminating and overlaying
with veneer 27
3.3 Finishing veneer 32
3.3.1 Colour and veneer match 32
3.3.2 Shaping and designing 36
3.3.3 Special properties 37
3.4 Surface treatment of veneered
surfaces 39
3.4.1 Pretreatment methods 39
3.4.2 Types of surface treatments  39
3.4.3 Recommendations for the choice of
application methods and surface
treatments 41
3.4.4 Care and maintenance of veneered
surfaces 43
 4 veneer in Interior Work
Chapter 1 Introduction
1 Introduction
1.1 What is veneer?
Veneer is wood in its most attractive form.
Experts call veneers the finest thing that can
be produced from wood. Veneers are the most
economical way of using wood and therefore
form the greatest added value of this natural
material.
Wood is a naturally grown raw material. Each
wood species has characteristic features and
decorative particularities. In the same way as
no tree is like any other, no two sheets of veneer
are the same. The colour, figure (pattern) and
structure of each sheet of veneer are unique.
Each sheet of veneer has its own individual
character. Veneer is a design element, which
retains its natural beauty and dynamism, even
after working.
Fig. 1
Types of veneer to
DIN 68330
Classification by use
Secondary
Face veneer
cross-band veneer
Outer veneer
Inner (back) veneer
1.2 Definition
Veneer is a thin sheet of wood, which is sepa-
rated from a log by peeling, slicing or sawing.
This is how DIN 4079 defines veneer. From
what thickness a veneer is to be named as
such, is not defined. DIN 4079 defines nominal
thicknesses for veneers made from different
species of wood. They are generally between
0.5 mm and 0.6 mm. Veneers of this thick-
ness are also called standard veneer. Other
veneer thicknesses are also produced, depen-
ding on their intended use, which are called
micro or thick veneers according to their thick-
ness. Micro-veneers are very thin, translucent
veneers between 0.1 mm and 0.3 mm thick.
Their extreme thinness makes them suscep-
tible to cracking, which requires particular
care when they are used. Thick veneer is the
name given to veneers that are between 0.9
mm and 2.5 mm thick. There is no fluent tran-
sition between individual veneer thicknesses.
Veneers are always produced with defined
thicknesses, e.g. as 0.55 mm, 1.5 mm and 2.5
mm thick veneers. However, these thicknesses
vary from wood species to wood species.
DIN 68330 classifies veneers according to the
type of production and their intended use (Fig. 1).
Types of veneer
Classification by production
Cross-band Veneer Sliced veneer Peeled veneer Sawn veneer
Flat-cut slicing Rotary peeling
True quarter Stay-log
False quarter Rift peeling
Crown quarter "From the heart"
peeling

Face veneers are veneers that form the visible
surface. Face veneers are divided into outer
and inner (back) veneers. The outer veneers
form the outer surfaces of the finished pro-
ducts, which determines the appearance of the
product, while the inner veneers on the inner
surfaces of the product contribute less to the
appearance.
High-quality sliced or peeled veneers are used
as face veneers. The production of sliced and
peeled veneers and the resulting matched
veneers (veneer matches) are described in
detail in chapter 2.2.3.
Secondary cross-band and cross-band
veneers are located under the face veneer and
are mainly used to improve dimensional sta-
bility.
veneer in Interior Work 5
Chapter 1 Introduction
1.3 History
The production of veneer and veneering itself
were practised in Egypt as far back as ca. 2900
BC. Fine, high-grade woods were valuable.
Therefore, the Egyptians invented econo-
mic ways of using and working these woods
and sawed the logs into the thinnest possible
boards and planks. In Europe, veneers were
increasingly used in furniture-making from
the 14th century. However, at the beginning of
the modern age, the production of small quan-
tities of veneer was so labour-intensive and
time-consuming that the pieces of furniture
made from them were exclusively reserved for
prosperous sections of society. Until the 19th
century, veneers were solely made by sawing.
During this period, industrial production began,
which enabled larger quantities of veneers
to be produced and worked. The first veneer
peeling machine was patented in 1818. The
first veneer slicing machine was started up in
1870. With it, the cornerstone of the modern
veneer industry was laid. Due to the increasing
use of wood-based materials, in the middle
of the 20th century, veneer was the predomi-
nant surface material used for furniture, doors
and in interior work. Today veneer competes
against a range of decorative coating materi-
als, however, it is an important design element
in the furniture industry, door production and in
interior work (e.g. in floorings, ceiling and wall
panelling, in interiors in boat, aircraft and car
manufacture).
 6 veneer in Interior Work
Chapter 2 Material
2 Material
2.1 Raw wood
The structure of the wood is produced as a result
of the growth of a tree. Due to the different func-
tions necessary for the growth of a living tree,
wood is made up of different types of tissues
and cells. They are arranged in rings around the
trunk (stem) axis (medulla, pith). Cells are also
created to supply the trunk in a radial direction;
these are called wood rays (xylem rays). These
evolve as radial, often shiny lines.
Depending on the climatic conditions, a tree
forms annual rings or growth zones as a result
of its annual growth. These are a clear sign of
wood material, because by cutting the annual
rings in different directions, different wood pat-
terns are formed, also called the figure or grain
of the wood. Fig. 2 shows the three cutting
planes in wood with their typical figure.
The cut perpendicular to the longitudinal (trunk
or log) axis is called an end-grain (cross-grain)
cut or cross-section (transverse section). In the
end-grain cut the annual rings appear approxi-
mately round.
The radial or rift-cut (also known as the edge-
grained or quarter-cut) is a cut parallel with the
longitudinal axis of the trunk or log. It runs in the
Fig. 2
Cutting planes in the wood,
Source: GWT-TUD GmbH
Wood ray
Annual ring
a) End-grain cut b) Flat cut
(Cross-cut) (Tangential cut)
direction of the radius of the annual rings, appro-
ximately parallel to the wood rays. The annual
rings form parallel stripes in the radial cut.
The cut along the tangent of an annual ring circle
is called a tangential, crown or flat-sawn cut (in
Australia back-sawn timber), (more rarely plain-
sawn or through-and-through sawn). It also runs
parallel to the log axis, however, it cuts through
the annual rings, which taper conically towards
the top of the tree. They therefore appear as
parabolic curves and produce a figure known as
crown figure (also described as tapered, oval,
arch, heart, looped, conical) or figured.
In practice, the longitudinal sections are often
combined, so that a semi-radial or semi-tan-
gential cut is produced. Selected figures are
described in chapter 2.3.4.
The inner part of a cross-section through a log,
which in the living tree is only used to store
material and as strengthening, is called heart-
wood. It is mostly different in colour to sapwood
and is significantly darker than the sapwood.
The sapwood is the outer, in most cases lighter
coloured part of a trunk cross-section.
Wood ray
Pith (medulla)
c) Rift-cut
(Radial cut)
 veneer in Interior Work 7
Chapter 2 Material

2.2 Veneer production

Apart from its natural beauty, as a material,
wood has many special properties, which have
to be taken into account when processed and
worked.
Wood is a hygroscopic material, which can
absorb and dissipate water from and to the
air. During this change in moisture content,
dimensional changes occur; the swelling or
shrinkage of wood.
Due to the annual ring structure and the
different tissue and cell types, wood in an inho-
mogeneous material.
Each veneer sheet (leaf) is unique. A large
number of different veneer matches can be
produced during veneer production. To limit the
choice of veneer, veneer producers provide the
option of joint sampling. To this end, manuf-
acturers, veneerers and designers/clients,
examine different veneers, in order to agree
the veneer selection or veneer match in detail
at an early stage. The designer/client should
make use of the opportunity of sampling, i.e.
examining veneer examples, and therefore the
ability to discern the expertise of the veneer
producer or dealer, in order to avoid misunder-
standings in the veneer selection.

Most of the cells or fibres of a tree are aligned Despite modern technology, veneer produc-
parallel with the tree trunk axis (also called stem tion requires much experience and craft skills.
axis). Wood therefore has different physical Each wood species is individually processed.
properties in different directions. The longi- Veneer is produced in the technological steps
tudinal direction of the fibres is the direction described in the following.
parallel to the trunk axis. It is in this direction
that wood has its highest strength, its highest
stiffness and the lowest swelling and shrinkage
values. Perpendicular to the fibre direction, a
further differentiation is made between radial
and tangential directions, which are analogous
to the cutting planes. The strength and stiff-
ness values perpendicular to the fibre direction
are significantly lower than in the longitudinal
direction of the fibres. The swelling and shrin-
kage values on the other hand are highest
in the tangential direction; those in the radial
direction are somewhat lower.

All these properties require a certain under-

standing for the use, processing and working
of wood. Each wood species has specific pro-
perties, which must be noted and taken into
account when a combination of different wood
species is used.

High-quality, defect-free logs only are used to

produce veneers. This reduces the growth-
induced disadvantages and highlights the
natural beauty and aesthetic quality of wood.
 8 veneer in Interior Work-
Chapter 2 Material
2.2.1 Bark stripping, cutting to length, 2.2.2 Steaming and cooking
flitching
In the first step, the cut tree trunk (log) must
be prepared for veneer production. Apart from
optimum utilisation of the wood and quality
grading, the main aim is, as far as possible, to
create a defects-free, regular veneer surface
with uniform colour and structure.
With the stripping of the bark (debarking) from
the log, foreign materials such as stones, metal
parts, sand or soil are also removed. The sub-
sequent cutting to length takes into account
growth features, colour, structure, shape,
dimension and length specifications. Flitching
is the name used to describe the longitudinal
cutting and cutting to size of the veneer log into
sections (flitches) ready for conversion into
veneers. The log is halved, quartered or cut
into three equal parts; this produces the veneer
blocks (logs, bolts, billets) or flitches, which are
clamped into the slicing or peeling machine.
The flitching also decides the slicing technique
and therefore the veneer match. This clearly
shows how important this step of the work is:
it is here that it is decided whether or not the
most attractive veneer match can be achieved
and at the same time the valuable raw material
wood can be used optimally (Fig. 3).
Fig. 3 (left)
Flitching a log, Source:
Danzer Group
Fig. 4 (right)
Steaming the veneer blocks,
Source: Schorn & Groh GmbH
In order to achieve high-quality cutting, the
veneer blocks have to be plasticised, i.e. „sof-
tened“. For this reason, they are placed in
large vats filled with water, and are steamed
or cooked (Fig. 4). Apart from the plasticising
effect, the cooking also changes the colour of
the wood. The length of the cooking process
decides the achievable colour. For example,
originally white beechwood acquires its sal-
mon-coloured to reddish shade through the
steaming or cooking. Light-coloured timbers,
whose shade is to remain light, are made into
veneer without steaming or cooking. This inclu-
des white beechwood and maplewood. These
timbers are plasticised using cold water.
The steaming or cooking period (heating sche-
dule) can last from a few hours to several
days, depending on the wood species and the
required colour. During this period, the indivi-
dual wood species are subjected to different
temperature variations, which must be preci-
sely adhered to. The parameters required for
fault-free steaming and cooking are empirical
values of each firm and are strictly kept secrets.

2.2.3 Production techniques
Slicing
During slicing a sheet of veneer is cut from the
veneer block by moving the block horizontally
or vertically. The slicer blades can cut parallel
or perpendicular to the fibre direction, which is
why a differentiation is made between longitu-
dinal and transverse slicing (Fig. 5).
Longitudinal slicing
Transverse slicing
With longitudinal slicing the cut is made ana-
logous to planing, parallel to the fibres. This
achieves a very good surface quality. The-
oretically, unlimited veneer lengths can be
produced. Longitudinal slicing technology
can produce veneers with a width of 350 mm
wide and more. The thicknesses that can be
produced vary between 0.3 mm (in exceptio-
nal cases even thinner) and 13 mm. The way
in which longitudinal slicing machines function
requires rectangular flitches to be processed.
Therefore, the variation in achievable veneer
matches is limited. This slicing technique,
which stems from the Asian region, is also
practised in Europe and America; however, it
is not used in Germany. Therefore, in German-
speaking countries, slicing is used as a general
term, although transverse slicing is meant.
The four cutting techniques of (transverse)
slicing produce different figured or stripy (rib-
boned, striated, straight-grained) veneer
matches.
veneer in Interior Work 9
Chapter 2 Material
Flat-cut slicing
With flat-cut slicing, a log cut in half lengthwise
is fixed onto the slicing table with the heart-
wood side on the table and is sliced from the
outside. The initially cut sheets of veneer have
a vivid crown figure, as the annual rings are cut
into with a very flat angle. The nearer the cut
approaches the middle of the log, the more the
Fig. 5 Basic diagram
annual rings are cut at right-angles, so that an
of longitudinal and
increasingly striped, straight-grained veneer
transverse slicing,
match results (Fig. 6).
Source: GWT-TUD GmbH
True quarter-cut slicing
The log is cut into quarters lengthwise for true
quarter-cut slicing. It is clamped so that the
cut is made at right-angles to the annual rings.
This produces a stripy figured, straight-grained
veneer match (Fig. 7).
False quarter-cut slicing
The log is cut into quarters for false quarter-
cut slicing. The cutting into quarters means
that the veneer block has two sides that are
perpendicular to each other, which occur in the
radial cut. The block is clamped with one of
these sides flat and is sliced parallel to it. Due
to the slicing of a quarter log, veneer matches
are produced semi-figured. As with flat-cut
slicing, the annual rings are initially cut at a
very flat angle. As the middle of the log (trunk)
is approached, striped, straight-grained figures
are produced (Fig. 8). By symmetrically jointing
several semi-figured veneer sheets, figured
veneers (crown figure) can be produced.
Flat quarter-cut slicing
Flat-quarter-cut slicing is the same as flat-cut
slicing, except that a quarter log is sliced. The
result is a veneer match with virtually pure,
figured crown („cathedral“) structure. (Fig. 9)
 10 veneer in Interior Work
Chapter 2 Material

Fig. 6
Cutting technique for
flat slicing and resulting
veneer match, Source:
Danzer Group

Fig. 7
Cutting technique for real
quarter-cut slicing and
resulting veneer match,
Source: Danzer Group

Fig. 8
Cutting technique for
false quarter-cut slicing
and resulting veneer
match, Source: Danzer
Group

Fig. 9
Cutting technique for flat
quarter-cut slicing and
resulting veneer match,
Source: Danzer Group

Peeling
With peeling, the veneer block rotates and the
veneer sheet is cut from the block during the
rotational movement.
Rotary peeling
With rotary peeling the round log is processed.
It is clamped along its central axis and is peeled
spirally from the outside. This peeling tech-
nique is used, among other things, to produce
decorative, figured (fancy patterned, variega-
ted) veneers. The result is veneer matches
with irregular crown figure or with pockets of
wild structures (e.g. birds eye maple) (Fig. 10).
Stay-log peeling
With stay-log peeling a halved log is mounted
in the lathe fixed with its heart side mounted
on a „stay log“ and is peeled from the outside.
The rotating of the half-log clamped at the pith
(medulla) causes eccentric rotational move-
ment of the block, which is why this peeling
technique is also called eccentric peeling. The
annual rings are cut at a very flat angle, so that
the resulting veneer match is striped, straight-
grained at the sides and figured (crown figure)
in the middle (Fig. 11).
Rift peeling
The log is cut into quarters for rift peeling. The
block is clamped with one of the two flat sides
on the lathe and is peeled from the opposite
side. The rotary movement of the block is
also eccentric. The resulting veneer match
is striped (Fig. 12). Striped veneers are pre-
ferably produced using this technique.
veneer in Interior Work 11
Chapter 2 Material
„From the heart“ peeling
For this peeling technique the log is cut into
thirds or quartered. The block is clamped in the
lathe with the heart side facing the blade and
is peeled outwards from the inside (from the
heart). In this way, wider veneer matches can
be produced. The resulting veneer match is
particularly distinctively figured (Fig. 13).
Sawing
Sawing is the oldest production technique for
veneer. Until slicing and peeling machines
were developed, all veneers were produced by
sawing. Sawing is carried out using a veneer
saw frame (saw gate) or a veneer circular saw.
The manufacture of sawn (saw-cut) veneers
produces up to 50 % loss. Nevertheless, sawn
veneers are still used today. As the veneer
blocks for sawing do not have to be plasticised,
sawn veneers have the same colour as the
solid wood. Especially for hard woods, which
are difficult to make into veneers by slicing,
sawing is the alternative production option.
With a thickness between 1.2 mm and 2.5 mm,
sawn veneers are relatively thick. They are
used, e.g. for restoration work, as well as for
producing high-quality furniture.
 12 veneer in Interior Work
Chapter 2 Material

Fig. 10
Peeling technique for
rotary peeling and
resulting veneer match,
Source: Danzer Group

Fig. 11
Peeling technique for
stay-log peeling and
resulting veneer match,
Source: Danzer Group

Fig. 12
Peeling technique for
rift peeling and resulting
veneer match, Source:
Danzer Group

Fig. 13
Peeling technique for
„from the heart“ peeling
and resulting veneer
match, Source: Danzer
Group
 veneer in Interior Work 13
Chapter 2 Material

2.2.4 Drying, trimming, bundling 2.2.5 Appraising and measuring

By steaming or cooking the veneer blocks Appraising is the term used to describe the
before cutting, the veneers are wet after the defining of a price for a pack of veneer. It is
cutting process. They are dried to the required done by assessing the quality and visually
final moisture content, generally between measuring the packs of veneer. The size list
6% and 12%, using hot air at temperatures produced from the measurement records the
between 60°C and 180°C. The drying usually area contained in each pack. In this way the
takes place on belt dryers. The veneers are price per square metre of each pack is defined.
passed through various dryer zones between
two „endless“ webbing belts. The throughput
times and temperatures vary for each wood
species, accordingly wood species-specific
programs are run.

Due to the density differences within a sheet,

most veneers tend to become warped or buckled
(e.g. maple) and must be flattened (smoothed)
for further processing. The smoothing is mostly
carried out in belt dryers with „ironing“ effect
(warm press dryer). Additional rolls, which
exert a pressure on the veneer, flatten and
smoothen the veneer. Highly warped veneer,
e.g. beechwood, may have to be smoothed by
additional pressing.

Following the drying process, the veneers are

cut to size and bundled into packs (flitches)
of 16, 24 or 32 sheets (leaves) each. When
they are cut to size, the edges are straightened
(trimmed) and any growth irregularities are cut
out.
 14 veneer in Interior Work
Chapter 2 Material

2.3 Veneer properties

2.3.1 Production-induced
characteristics
During the cutting process of peeling and
slicing, the blade moves in the veneer block
and cuts a sheet of veneer from the block. A
pressure bar is positioned above the blade, and
presses against the veneer block immediately
before it is cut off. This prevents the wood from
splitting and a smoother cut is produced. To
ensure continued cutting until the veneer sheet
is cut off the veneer block, the veneer is highly
curved immediately after the cut into the wood
is made. This causes small cracks to form on
the side facing the blade during peeling and
slicing parallel to the fibres (Fig. 14 and 15).
Fig. 14
Diagram showing how
cracks are formed during
peeling and slicing,
Source: Becker KG
The crack-free side is called the closed side,
the side with cracks is called the open side.
The cracks affect both the physical and the
veneering properties. The result of coating
with liquid systems such as lacquers or adhe-
sives, depending on the presence of cracks,
can differ. The gloss or effect of the veneer
surface, especially in oblique incident light, can
differ between the two sides of a veneer sheet.
These effects must be taken into account
especially when joining veneer sheets to form
a larger figure. With regard to the mechani-
cal properties, it must be noted that the cracks
represent weakening of the material. Applying
a load (bending or tension) perpendicular to
the cracks results in fracture before loading
parallel to the cracks.
In the case of sawn veneers, no cracks form
during production.

Fig. 15
Microscopic image of
cracks in walnut veneer,
Source: TU Dresden
 veneer in Interior Work 15
Chapter 2 Material

2.3.2 Mechanical properties

There is currently no German standard,
describing standard tests for determining the
mechanical properties of veneer as there are
for solid wood. Tests for determining mecha-
nical properties are therefore made based on
test standards from the paper industry or under
individual test conditions.
Table 2.1 shows values for tensile strengths
and module of elasticity for veneers made
of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and
European oak (Quercus robur L. / Quercus
petraea Liebl.). As veneers cannot be precisely
assigned to the radial or tangential direction
in the wood, a differentiation is only made
between the direction parallel and perpendicu-
lar to the direction of the fibres (grain direction)
to determine the characteristic values. The
veneers were produced using longitudinal
slicing methods.
The values determined for beechwood veneer,
where available, lie within the range usual for
solid wood, although they tend towards the
lower limit. The values for oakwood veneer are
smaller than those of the solid wood, which is
due to structural effects.
In the case of this wood species, with parti-
ally large vessel cells and wood (xylem) rays
occasionally only 2 – 3 vessels in the cross-
section lie on top of each other in 0.5 mm thick
samples. Between them there are only very
thin cell walls. Such a constellation reduces
the strength drastically. As the veneers become
thinner, the influence of individual structu-
ral parts can be expected to increase, which
can result in premature fracture, i.e. reduced
strength compared to solid wood.
The 3-point bending test is not suitable for
determining the bending strength of veneers of
normal thickness. Due to the small thickness,
the veneers sag very far bend with the ratio
of span to veneer thickness of 15 : 1 required
in DIN 52186 for wood. This means that the
boundary conditions for the standard calcula-
tion of the bending strength with the 3-point
bending test are no longer fulfilled and an
incorrect result is calculated.

Table 2.1: Mechanical characteristic values from the tensile test for veneers made from European beech and
European oak, Source: Tu Dresden

Average veneer Tensile strength Modulus of elasticity

Direction of
Wood species thickness in n/mm², mean value in n/mm², mean value
fibres
in mm (standard deviation) (standard deviation)

71,0 12000
parallel 0,48
(9,4) (600)
European beech
7,9 630
perpendicular 0,52
(1,0) (20)

41,3 7400
parallel 0,50
(3,3) (600)
Oak
1,0 270
perpendicular 0,52
(0,2) (70)
16 veneer in Interior Work
Chapter 2 Material

Due to their irregular structure, burl (burr)
figured veneers do not have any defined fibre
(grain) directions. Their mechanical characteri-
stics depend on the figure and intensity of the
burls. The characteristic values shown in Table
2.2 for walnut burl veneers with conspicuous
burls, were determined from tensile tests.
These values clearly show the effect of the
cracks produced during peeling on the side
facing the blade. If the cracks run perpendicu-
lar to the load, far lower values are achieved
for the modulus of elasticity and strength than
with loading parallel to the cracks.

Table 2.2 Results of the tensile tests on walnut burl veneer in various directions, Source: TU Dresden

Modulus of elasti- Ultimate strength Elongation at break

city in n/mm², mean in n/mm², mean in %, mean value
Test direction
value (standard value (standard (standard
deviation) deviation) deviation)

perpendicular cracks parallel

to the cutting to the
direction test direction
1600 8,9 0,57
(203) (1,4) (0,08)

parallel to the cracks

cutting perpendicular to
760 6,0 0,72
(170) (0,8) (0,14)
 veneer in Interior Work 17
Chapter 2 Material

2.3.3 Colours and visual

properties
The natural colours of veneers are wide-ran-
ging. They extend from yellowy – white through
to black. In table 2.3, the colour classifica-
tion of several veneer woods is summarised
(Fig. 16 a to d).
The visual properties of veneers generally
correspond to those of solid wood. They are
very highly dependent on the wood species. All
timbers discolour under the effect of atmosphe-
ric oxygen and sunlight.
This colour change, also called yellowing,
is primarily unwanted in light-coloured wood
species. Timbers naturally darker coloured,
such as walnut, turn grey. However, additio-
nal darkening can also cause an improvement
in colour to occur (e.g. in larchwood). Such a
change in colour can also be produced deli-
berately through the surface treatment, or
so-called priming. In this case the wood colour
is intensified and darkened, and even contrasts
in the wood are shown to better advantage.

Table 2.3 Colours of different wood species

Colour light reddish medium brown dark brown

Wood species maple European beech oak walnut
birch cherry elm bog oak
lime wild service
spruce plane
pine larch
alder pear
horse chestnut red oak

Fig. 16
Wood species with
different colours
a) maple (light)
b) wild service (reddish)
c) oak (medium brown)
d) walnut (dark brown)
Source: TU Dresden

a) b)

c) d)
 18 veneer in Interior Work
Chapter 2 Material

2.3.4 Figures
Plain figure

Fig. 17
Plain figure is the name given to a uniform wood figure without cons-
Plain figure in
picuous coloured or visual effects (Fig. 17). Typical wood species
birch,
with plain texture are maple, alder, birch, plane and lime.
Source: Holzatlas

Crown (cut) figure or figured

Fig. 18
Crown (cut) (curved, oval, looped, etc.) is the name given to the
Crown figure in
parabola-shaped, bay-shaped or serrated pattern of the wood in the
larch, Source: Holzatlas
tangential cut. It is produced by conspicuous early/late wood con-
trast of the annual rings, which are cut with a tangential cut due
to their conical tapering towards the top of the log and produce a
typical figure (Fig. 18). All coniferous woods (softwoods), as well
robinia, walnut, ash, oak or elm have a crown figure.

Striped, straight-grained figure

Fig. 19 The highly contrasting annual rings or annual ring transitions are
Striped, straight-grained also responsible for a striped, straight-grained figure. In the radial
figure in elm, cut they cause the longitudinally striped pattern of the wood (Fig.
Source: Holzatlas 19). Typical indigenous wood species with striped figure are the
coniferous woods as well as robinia, walnut, ash, oak or elm.

Ripple, wavy or fiddleback figure

Fig. 20
Wavy, rippled figure Ripple, wavy or fiddleback figure is the name given to wood rays cut
in elm in the radial cut. Colour highlighted, shiny wood rays running across
Source: Holzatlas the direction of the fibres, produce a wavy figure (Fig. 20). Typical
wood species with wavy figure are oak and plane.
 veneer in Interior Work 19
Chapter 2 Material

Wavy, block figure

Fig. 21
Striped wood pattern running across the fibre (grain) direction and
Wavy, block figure in
produced by wavy, tangential fibre direction and different light reflec-
maple, Source: Holzatlas
tions (Fig. 21). Wavy, block figuring only becomes visible with a radial
cut. Typical wood species with wavy, block figure are maple and ash.

Crotches and buttresses figure

Fig. 22
The crotches and buttresses („pyramid“) figure describes a y-shaped
Crotches & buttresses in
pattern of the wood (Fig. 22). It occurs in the area of trunk or branch
walnut, Source: Holzatlas
forks as well as in the radial and in tangential cut. Typical wood
species, in which a crotch or buttress („pyramid“) figure is to be
found are walnut and pear.

Burl figure

Burl or burr growth is a growth anomaly on the trunk or on the root, Fig. 23

in which the wood structure is highly changed. It causes increased Burl figure in

formation of buds, which are continuously overgrown. Veneers with elm, Source: Holzatlas

burled figures can be produced by peeling the resulting abnormal

growth or excrescence (gall). The burl or burr is caused by the irre-
gular, turbulent to circular fibre direction (Fig. 23). Not all wood
species form burls or burrs. Typical wood species are ash, elm,
plane, walnut and birch.

Bird‘s eye figure

Fig. 24
Growth faults can produce small round, point-like structural changes, Bird‘s eye figure in bird‘s
which are like fine knots. Peeling can produce a bird‘s eye figure eye maple wood veneer,
from them (Fig. 24). A typical representative with this figure is the Source: Holzatlas
bird‘s eye maple wood veneer.
 20 veneer in Interior Work
Chapter 2 Material

2.3.5 Growth features

Each wood species and each piece of timber
have individual, growth-induced features.
These growth features are not defects, but
instead are typical for wood. They make an
important contribution to its characteristic
surface.

Fig. 25 Discoloration
Pith flecks in alder, Discolorations are local changes in colour in the
Source: TU Dresden wood, which are produced through growth or
can be caused by foreign bodies. Growth-indu-
ced discolorations are, e.g. pith flecks, reaction
wood, wound tissue or red heart in beech. Pith
flecks are small dark stripes, which are formed
by fly larvae in several hardwoods from decidu-
ous trees (Fig. 25). They are characteristic for
birch and alder. Reaction wood, wound tissue
or red heart are large, dark (reddish) discolora-
tions (Fig. 26).

Such discolorations can be found in a range of

wood species, e.g. in maple, beech, ash, pine,
cherry and walnut.

Fig. 26 Small black spots to ribbons between the

Red heart in European annual rings, caused by pockets and veins of
beech, Source: Schorn & resin inclusion, are also called gum pockets/
Groh GmbH gum veins. They mainly occur in American
cherry. Light-coloured, round or oval fields on
the other hand are called pommele. They can
occur in maple or ash. So-called „water veins“
are conspicuously light-coloured annual rings
in beech or oak. They occur in years in which
the water supply was not optimal.
 veneer in Interior Work 21
Chapter 2 Material

Knots
Fig. 27
Knots are small, round or oval, solid defor-
Knots in cherrywood,
med initial branch growth. They interrupt the
Source: Schorn & Groh
direction of the fibre (grain). Knots occur e.g.
GmbH
in maple, birch, beech, oak, alder, ash, cherry
and walnut (Fig. 27).

Flashes
Fig. 28
Flashes are individual stria or rays running
Flashes in ash, Source:
across the direction of the fibres (Fig. 28).
Schorn & Groh GmbH
They can occur in maple, oak, ash, cherry and
walnut.

Resin pockets (galls)

Resin pockets (galls or excrescences) are
voids filled with resin, which are mostly created
by coniferous woods, mostly in the latewood
(summerwood). They run parallel to the annual
rings and have a yellow to Bernstein colour.
22 veneer in Interior Work
Chapter 2 Material
2.4 Quality assurance, grading
and marking
Quality assurance in veneer production begins
with the trunk (log) selection, where only raw
timber with quality class a is potential so-called
veneer wood.
Whether a trunk or log is suitable for the pro-
duction of veneer depends on various factors.
High requirements are set for the „trunkness“
(straight and well-rounded shape), dimen-
sions, colour and structure. In addition,
attention is paid to visible defects such as
branches, rotting, heartwood and stress crack.
In individual wood species, specific minimum
dimensions and additional quality criteria are
commonly required. If the requirements are
met, including with regard to the customer‘s
wishes, the log is assigned the designation F
(veneer quality). This careful selection of the
raw timber lays the cornerstone for the produc-
tion of the most defects-free veneers possible
with little cutting waste.
During production and processing, the veneer
quality is often checked using opto-electronic
testing. To this end, scanner systems with
image processing programs are used. Defects
that occur on the surface of the veneer, such as
cracks, branches and colour flecks or stains,
are marked after passing through the scanner
and are automatically removed.
After drying and cutting, special qualities are
pre-graded by the producer according to the
customer‘s specifications regarding dimensi-
ons, structure and price. This is mostly done
log or pack-wise. There are no guidelines
regarding the quality for veneer grading. Dif-
ferent manufacturers classify the quality
differently and it depends on the veneerer and
the customer‘s wishes, as well as on the wood
species and type of veneer or the planned
use. one possible classification would be the
intended use for furniture, doors, panels and
floorings. Within this classification, a further
classification into A, B, C and D often occurs,
although this is manufacturer-specific. The
differentiation into these classes generally
depends on the number and distribution of
branches, cracks, pockets and deformities.
The colour, structure and proportion of disco-
lorations also play a role here.
Table 2.4 shows a classification of veneers by
way of example.
Various certifications now exist for wood and
veneer wood; the manufacturer can be asked
for this certification. Most manufacturers can
prove that they are certified with the FSC seal
(Forest Stewardship Council) or the PeFC
(Programme for the Endorsement of Forest
Certification schemes). These are forest certi-
fication systems to promote sustainable forest
management, which guarantee that the pro-
ducts pass through a continuously traceable
processing chain, from the forest to the pro-
cessor through to the dealer. The objective is
to achieve environmentally friendly, socially
acceptable and economically useful utilisation
of the forest. Both organisations now operate
worldwide.
For the manufacturers and sellers of veneered
product, there is a quality seal that they can
use free of charge, „Das Beste vom Holz -
Furnier“ (the best of wood veneer“), of the
initiative Furnier und natur e.V. (iFn). As the
layperson often finds it difficult to tell the dif-
ference between real wood veneer and plastic
imitations, this seal should ensure more trans-
parency and consumer certainty (Fig. 29).
 veneer in Interior Work 23
Chapter 2 Material

Table 2.4 Exemplary classification of veneers

Characteristic Quality A Quality B Quality C Quality D

Colour / structure uniform slight variations variations allowed no requirements
acceptable
Stria/stripes not acceptable light-coloured stria allowed allowed
acceptable
Branches, healthy not acceptable 1 per 1/4 m² allowed allowed
Deformations
Pin knots 1 per 1/4 m² up to 2 3 per 1/4 m² up to 3 acceptable acceptable
(cats eyes) mm diameter mm diameter
Closed cracks / galls Cracks up to 20 Cracks up to 50 Cracks up to 100 acceptable
(pockets) mm, galls (pockets) mm, galls up to 20 mm, galls up to 40
not allowed mm long and 1 mm mm long and 2 mm
wide wide
Open cracks / galls not acceptable up to 10 mm long up to 40 mm long up to 150 mm long
and 1 mm wide and 2 mm wide and 10 mm wide
Heartwood not acceptable Light brown heart Light brown and red acceptable
up to heart up to 20 % of
the area

Fig. 29
FSC seal, PEFC seal,
„The Best of Wood
Veneer“ quality seal

THE BEST
OF WOOD
VENEER
24 veneer in Interior Work
Chapter 3 Veneering
3 Veneering
Veneering essentially includes joining the
veneer sheets to form a size sheet (the layon),
attaching these size sheets to substrates and
their surface treatment.
Analogous to the veneer production, a large
number of different surfaces can also be
offered when producing size sheets. Here too,
veneerers offer their customers the opportunity
of joint sampling to limit the selection. To this
end, manufacturers, veneerers and designers
/ clients examine different veneer surfaces,
in order to agree the surface match in detail.
The designer/client should make use of the
opportunity of sampling, i.e. examining veneer
examples, and therefore the ability to discern
the expertise of the veneerer, in order to avoid
misunderstandings when defining the appea-
rance of the surfaces.
When veneering, remember that different
materials are brought together, which can have
a different swelling and shrinkage behaviour
if the ambient humidity changes. The makes
for particular challenges when working with
these materials, with regard to the dimensio-
nal stability that the veneerers have to take into
account.
Tab. 3.1 Swelling and shrinkage of selected wood species, Source: Holzatlas
Wood species Differential shrinkage in % per % change in wood moisture
Longitudinal direction
maple 0,018
European beech 0,014
Table 3.1 shows the swelling and shrinkage
dimensions of selected wood species depen-
ding on the change in ambient humidity.
The differential shrinkage is used to deter-
mine the dimensional change per percentage
change in wood moisture content. The follow-
ing example should clearly show the extent of
swelling and shrinkage movements.
On a summer‘s day with a room climate of
25°C and 65 % rel. humidity, the wood moisture
content is roughly 7.5 %, on a winter‘s day with
a room climate of 20°C and 40 % rel. humidity
it is around 11.5 %. The difference of 4 % wood
moisture content causes the wood to shrink.
This means, e.g. for a veneer sheet made of
European beech, 1 m long and 12 cm wide,
that it shortens by 0.6 mm lengthwise and by
1.1 mm in the tangential direction.
In order to compensate for the swelling and
shrinkage movements of the different materi-
als, adhesives appropriate for the requirements
are used (see Chapter 3.2). Therefore, the
veneerers have to be aware of the use con-
ditions (ambient humidity and temperature) of
the end product.
Tangential direction
0,220
0,410

3.1 Cutting and jointing veneer
Precisely cut edges are indispensible for join-
ting veneer sheets to form a veneer layon
with larger dimensions or other shapes. The
individual veneer sheets (aka leaves) are cut
to size using different tools or cutting tech-
niques. Straight, parallel outer edges can
be achieved using so-called veneer guillotine
or jointing cutters. Veneers up to approx. 1
mm thick are usually cut to size and trimmed
using guillotines. Thicker veneers are cut to
size and trimmed using a chip removal cutting
method, as otherwise unwanted „pre-splitting“
can occur. Curved or freely-shaped contours
are produced using computer-aided mechani-
cal cutting (CNC). The tools used are lasers or
special blades. With these computer-controlled
cutting techniques, individual patterns through
to inlays can be produced cost-effectively and
rationally (Fig. 30).
veneer in Interior Work 25
Chapter 3 Veneering
Before the veneers can be applied as a deco-
rative overlay on substrates, they must be
joined. In order to obtain a visually attractive
overlay match, the veneers should be jointed
in the order they were made during slicing.
The joining of the consecutive veneer sheets
or leaves of a pack (flitch) or log to form a
large veneer layon is called veneer matching.
The following different techniques are used for
veneer matching:
A decorative surface appearance with a mir-
ror-image veneer arrangement is achieved
through book matching. Single book matching
is the term used for successive turning over
of two veneer leaves on top of each other in
the flitch (like the pages in a book) and edge-
joining them along a longitudinal or transverse
joint. Accordingly, in double book matching,
every second of four veneer leaves lying on top
of each other in the flitch is folded open about a
vertical and horizontal joint. This is how veneer
matches with cross-joints are produced, which
can also be diagonal.
Fig. 30
Inlay, Source: Schorn &
Groh GmbH
 26 veneer in Interior Work
Chapter 3 Veneering

In slip matching (also push or pull), the leaves methods can be used to join the veneer leaves
on top of each other in the flitch are removed lengthwise and crosswise.
from the stack without turning them over and
are slipped alongside each other. The result Joining veneers to produce visually successful
is a repetition of the veneer grain without and cost-effective veneer surfaces is generally
symmetry. carried out by experts as a fixed-size produc-
tion. The term veneer fixed-size or veneer
In slip matching with leaf turning (also called finished-size is used for made to order pro-
reverse slip matching) the veneer leaves are duction of veneer layons. The use of modern
slip matched and then every second leaf is machines and the high degree of specialisation
turned end to end. The result is a uniform sym- of the fixed-size manufacturers enable diverse
metrical pattern (Fig. 31 and 32). design options, for example, with mixed mate-
rials or high-quality figure veneering.
Jointing the individual veneer leaves requires
gluing the veneer edges. Various technologies
exist for this. In zigzag stitching the veneer
leaves are joined using a glue thread. The
thermoplastic thread is heated during the
jointing process and as it alternately applied
to both veneer sheets as it passes through.
Butt joining (splicing) is a method, in which
the edges of the veneers are wettened with
adhesive and are glued together. Both joining

Fig. 31
Joining techniques,
Source: GWT-TUD GmbH

a) Book matching b) Slip matching c) Reverse slip matching

Fig. 32
Jointed veneers, Source:
Kiefer Furnier + Design
GmbH und Co. KG
 veneer in Interior Work 27
Chapter 3 Veneering

3.2 Laminating and overlaying

with veneer
A range of semi-finished products are produ-
ced by laminating and overlaying all kinds of
different substrates with veneer. Some of the
semi-finished goods even have an end product
character.

Laminating is the term used to describe backing

the veneer with non-wovens or papers. The
resulting composite material is easier to use in
further processing and is more stable than raw
veneer. Two-dimensional deformations, such
as bending, can also be achieved more easily
and without cracks (Fig. 33).

Laminated veneers are used, for example, Fig. 33

for steering wheels and gear sticks in cars. Non-woven laminated
These materials can also be successfully used veneers, Source:
to overlay door rebates and to cover profiled Schorn u. Groh GmbH
strips. The choice of adhesive can also addi-
tionally improve the moisture and temperature
resistance of the composite material, so that
it can also be used in projects with higher fire
safety requirements.

Laminate is the term used to describe a com-

posite material consisting of several layers.
A real wood laminate in this sense consists
of backing veneer with synthetic resin imp-
regnated paper and a surface coating using Fig. 34
a high-quality lacquer system or a melamine Schematic diagram of
resin coat (overlay) (Fig. 34). The result is a a real wood laminate,
material that can be processed like high-pres- Source: www.oberflex.fr
sure laminates (HPL), but which is significantly
more smooth and supple. As with non-woven
laminated veneer, the material is made more
flexible by the overlay; curved components or Fig. 35
structural members can be overlaid (Fig. 35). France Telecom shop
Due to the surface finish, there is no need for in Paris,
subsequent sanding and lacquering or var- Source: www.oberflex.fr
nishing in processing.
 28 veneer in Interior Work
Chapter 3 Veneering

Paint-free HPLs with real veneer are also used

Fig. 36 (bottom) Interior
of the Holstein thermal
baths in Bad Schwartau,
wall panelling with
Prodema ProdIn Neptuno
– wet room panel, Photo:
Anke Müllerklein
for façade panels. The panel core is made of
impregnated cellulose fibres. The authentic
surface has a long durability, colourfastness
and is resistant to chemical attack. The facade
panels are classified as fire class B1. Such
panels can also be used for interior work in
indoor swimming pools, large canteen kitchens
or other rooms with moist conditions - even
with sporadic spray water (Fig. 36 and 37).

Fig. 37 (right) Façade
of an office building in
Joseph-Goggeln- Straße
in Düsseldorf (Prodema
ProdEx – façade panel),
Photo: Redevco
To create a decorative surface, the jointed
veneers or semi-finished products such as
non-woven laminated veneers or real wood
laminates, are glued onto panel substrates.
Substrates are usually particleboards or fibre-
boards. Fibreboards are more high-quality,
particleboards are less expensive. Particle-
boards are sold with a density around 680 kg/
m³, fibreboards with densities around 750 kg/
m³. Fibreboards (e.g. MDF) are easier to edge
trim and with better results, due to their more
homogeneous structure. Both wood-based
material variants react like would to changes
in ambient humidity, but are also available in
moisture-resistant qualities and therefore,
compared to solid wood, provide significantly
improved swelling and shrinkage behaviour.
To compensate for the different swelling and
shrinkage behaviour of the substrate and
veneer, depending on the subsequent use
conditions (ambient humidity and tempera-
ture), suitable adhesives must be selected
accordingly. To this end, the standards EN 204
for thermoplastic and EN 12765 for thermoset-
ting adhesives, define classification by climate
conditions and areas of use (Tab. 3.2). The
symbol „D“ is used for thermoplastic adhesives
and „C“ is used for thermosetting adhesives,
the group classification with numbers is identi-
cal for both types of adhesive.
 veneer in Interior Work 29
Chapter 3 Veneering

Tab. 3.2 Durability classes for adhesives (EN 204 and EN 12765)

Durability class Examples of the service climate conditions and areas of use
C1 or D1 • Indoor area, maximum wood moisture content 15 %
C2 or D2 • Indoor area with occasional short-term effect of flowing water or
condensation and/or occasional high humidity with an increase
in wood moisture content up to 18 %

C3 or D3 • Indoor area with frequent short-term effect of flowing water or

condensation and/or effect of high humidity
• Outdoor use, protected from the weather

C4 or D4 • Indoor area with frequent sustained effect of flowing water or

condensation
• Outdoor area, which is exposed to the weather, but with
appropriate surface protection

PVAc adhesives (thermoplastic) or urea form-
aldehyde resins (UF resins, thermosetting) are
usually used for gluing veneers. Both are cha-
racterised by a light-coloured glue line, which
enables various colourings. If UF resins are
used, only low resistances to moisture effects
can be achieved (durability class C1 or C2).
Therefore, if the end products are used in
areas with higher moisture resistance require-
ments (e.g. bathrooms, durability class C3 or
C4), melamine-reinforced UF resins are used.
PVAc adhesives are offered for all durability
classes (D1 – D4).
Adhesives based on, for example, epoxy
resins or polyurethane, are used for other
applications, such as bonding metal or glass
with veneers.
The following should be noted regarding the
problem of formaldehyde: The particleboards
and fibreboards offered for sale on the market
in Europe and therefore in Germany too must
satisfy emissions class E1. This corresponds
to a maximum formaldehyde equilibrium con-
centration of 0.1 ppm.
For the Japanese market, a system exists with
the designation F Four star (F****), with which
the emissions values are only 30 % to 35 % of
the E1 limits.
Since 01/01/2009, the requirements of the
CARB system (Californian Air Resources
Board) have been important for the manufac-
turers of wood-based materials. Compared
to the E1 limits, the CARB system contains
significantly more stringent requirements for
formaldehyde emissions, especially with regard
to particleboards (0.06 ppm to 0.65 ppm) and
plywood (0.03 ppm to 0.04 ppm). Furniture
manufacturers, who supply the North Ameri-
can market, must note that they must be able
to prove that the wood-based materials used
by them for their products are certified under
the CARB system and that they comply with
the required limits (in addition to the increased
requirements for own and external monitoring).
 30 veneer in Interior Work
Chapter 3 Veneeering

The IKEA group has adopted large parts of solid wood or plastic edging strips of different
the CARB system requirements and has even thicknesses and visual appearances (different
increased some. The requirements named colours, metallic look) are attached. The edge
in the corresponding IKEA standard „IOS-MAT- shape can either be straight or profiled.
0003: Formaldehyde requirements of wood
based materials und products“ apply to all IKEA After the substrates have been completely
suppliers since 1/9/2009 and are also signifi- overlaid, the veneered surfaces are sanded
cantly below the requirements of the emission and are coated with lacquer to protect them.
class E1.
When substrates are veneered, defects can
Because of the increased formaldehyde limit occur in the surface of the component. Table
requirements, for the overlaying of substrates, 3.3 shows the most frequent veneering defects.
it is important to know that use of urea form-
aldehyde resins (including when reinforced
with melamine) can result in an increase in
the formaldehyde emission values, while no
problems are to be expected in this respect if
PVAc or PUR adhesives are used.
Fig. 38
Curtain made of With regard to their fire performance, particle-
laminated European boards and plywood are classified as „normally
beech veneer, Source: flammable“ (construction material class B 2 to
Furnilux GmbH DIN 4102); however, if necessary, they are also
available in „flame resistant“ quality (construc-
tion material class B 1 to DIN 4102).

Veneer, blockboard and solid wood can also be

used as substrates. Lighter weight substrates
are also increasingly on offer (e.g. honey-
comb boards, low density MDF). Transparent
plastic and glass have a particularly decora-
tive effect when used as substrate (Fig. 38).
By using laminated safety glass, this material
can be used as a façade, in interiorwork, for
furniture design and even for trade air stand
Fig. 39 construction (Fig. 39).
Glass table with
integrated veneer, If the narrow side surfaces of the substrate
Source: INGLAS GmbH & are visible, in most cases they are overlaid
Co. KG separately. To this end, narrow veneer strips
in the matching wood species or even glue-on
 veneer in Interior Work 31
Chapter 3 Veneering

Table 3.3: Veneering defects

Designation Description Causes

Blister Local bubble or prominence on the
component, caused by area in which
there is no adhesive between the
veneer and substrate
Glue bead Local bubble or high spots/lifting on
the component, caused by area in
which there is too much adhesive
between the veneer and substrate
Glue penetration Glue penetration through the veneer
and therefore appearance on the
surface
open joints or joints pushed Gaps or high spots/lifting in the
on top of each other joints of the veneer
Indented/pressed in areas Local depressions on the component • pieces of veneer or other material
Discolorations in the veneer Discolorations as a result of the
overlaying process
Cracks in the veneer
• no or too little glue
• large veneer thickness tolerance
• indentation in the substrate
• contamination/soiling of the substrate
• non-uniform glue application
• viscosity too low or too much adhesive
applied
• error when applying the press pressure
• viscosity of the adhesive too high or too
much
• adhesive applied
• use of open-grained (large-pore) veneers
• error when jointing
• use of buckled or wavy veneer
between the component and pressing
plate
• pressing time too long
• pressing temperature too high
• discolorations caused by the release
agent
• use of buckled or wavy veneer
• use of veneer that is too moist
• insufficient protection of the end grains
against cracks/tears

Showing through the Stained, flecked, patchy or non- • clear lettering on veneer or substrate
veneer uniformly stained surface too thin, light-coloured veneers glued onto
• dark substrate

Occasionally, the growth features so typical
for veneer are thought to be veneering errors.
The difference between defects and errors can
be determined by a sworn expert.
Guidelines and regulations for the evaluation
of veneered surfaces only exist for pieces of
furniture (RAL GZ 430 or DIN/EN standards).
Based on these standards, the following proce-
dure should be used to check whether a defect
exists in veneered surfaces:
The visible parts of the veneered surfaces are
viewed from a distance of 50 cm in diffuse day-
light. The evaluation of the veneered surface
should take into account whether the parts con-
cerned are possibly secondary and whether or
not the harmonious overall impression of the
room is impaired.
Guidelines cannot be drawn up for natural cha-
racteristics. Several rules are summarised in
Table 3.4 for the evaluation of conspicuous
surface features.
 32 veneer in Interior Work
Chapter 3 Veneering
Table 3.4: Notes on the evaluation of
conspicuous surface features
The following are not acceptable on
visible surface:
• glue penetration
• visible glued joints, which can be
detected from a distance of 50 cm
in normal daylight conditions
• resin pockets (galls)
• loose, overlapped and sanded
through areas and cracks
• spurious deviations in the overall
match
The following are acceptable in
visible surfaces:
• slight, healthy deformities in the
veneer, which are natural
Proofs of authenticity are:
• silver figures, e.g. in oak
• lime pockets, e.g. in walnut
• cross-cracking at branches
Fig. 40
• gum in American cherry
Birch veneer, stained,
TABU, Source: www.tabu.it
3.3 Finishing veneer
3.3.1 Colour and veneer match
Staining and dying
The oldest variant of colouring wood is stai-
ning. Staining makes it possible to change
the colour, to enhance the natural colour and
to increase contrasts in the wood grain of
the veneer surface. Nowadays every type of
colouring wood is called staining. In staining,
a differentiation is made between wood dye
and chemical stains. Dyes are made by dissol-
ving or dispersing dyes or pigments in water
or organic solvents. They produce a so-called
negative grain pattern on the wood surface,
as the denser latewood can absorb less dye
than the less dense earlywood. As a result, the
otherwise lighter earlywood zones are more
highly dyed. On the other hand, when che-
mical staining is used a reaction takes place
between the wood constituents and the wood
stain, which produces a positive grain pattern.
Another option is to use through-dyed veneers
(Fig. 40). Here the colour is not only on the
surface. The advantage of this is that the
colour is not removed by sanding, which is
especially important when machining the sur-
faces. The veneers are immersed in the dye
solution for several hours, without pressure,
and are therefore completely through-dyed.
Further advantages of this technology are that
high-quality veneers can be produced from
veneer qualities that are not perfect and that
the veneers acquire a regular and repeatable
colour. If veneers are dyed during the surface
treatment, it is necessary to ensure that the
coating material and veneer are compatible,
otherwise unwanted discolorations can occur.
It is advisable to treat samples first and to
observe them for a while. The coating supplier
should always be aware of the substrate the
coatings are to be used on.
 veneer in Interior Work 33
Chapter 3 Veneering

Thermally modified veneer

Fig. 41
Anyone who uses very dark wood, but does
Colours of thermally
not want to use tropical wood, can fall back
treated wood, Source:
on thermally modified veneers of domestic
Mirako GmbH
wood species. There are different methods for
making the modification, but they are all based
on modifying the wood substance through the
effect of heat. Depending on the intensity of
treatment, it is possible to produce different
dark colours and shades (Fig. 41). Thermally
modified veneers definitely have a less marked
swelling and shrinkage behaviour and are
less susceptible to wood-destroying fungi, as
the -OH groups of the wood constituents are
broken down. This means water molecules
can no longer be stored.

Smoking veneer
Another way of producing darker veneer is so-
called smoking. Smoking is a staining method
that was already in use 150 years ago. With this
method the wood is steamed with ammonia for
several weeks. All woods rich in tannin are sui-
table for smoking, for example, oak, pine, larch,
wild service, apple and Douglas fir. The reac-
tion of the acid in the wood with ammonia as
a base produces the dark colouring (Fig. 42).
The discoloration remains absolutely stable to
aging and largely stable to light. Incompletely
formed heartwood remains light coloured in the
sapwood area.

Fig. 42
Colours of smoked
oaks, Source: Mehling &
Wiesmann GmbH
 34 veneer in Interior Work
Chapter 3 Veneering

Printing veneers Imaginative veneers and veneer matches

Another option for producing vivid designs and
for upgrading the veneer surface is to print
it using digital printing techniques. Here the
options range from wood imitation through to
free image design. New plants enable abso-
lute photo-realistic printing with a resolution of
460 dpi and a feed speed of up to 30 m / min
to be achieved. For example, it is possible to
produce high-quality palisander veneer from
a domestic wood species of industrial quality.
The existing wood structure and feel in con-
junction with the printing produce an authentic
and high-quality surface. Another advantage is
the lightfastness of the print. It should be noted
that if wavy veneers are printed, deviations
from the ideal image can occur.
With the wood grain printing method, a further
printing method, in addition to printing with
paint profiled rolls are used. This means that in
addition to the colour, the veneer also acquires
a new texture.
The options provided by so-called industrial
veneers are also very diverse. These veneers
are also called Fineline veneers or multilami-
nar wood. In this process, veneers of different
wood species or dyed veneers of different
shapes and compositions are glued toge-
ther to form veneer blocks, from which new
veneers are sliced. Apart from replicating dif-
ferent wood species to those used, striped,
figured, crown and even coloured or variega-
ted imaginative patterns can be produced (Fig.
43a and 43b). The colour and structure of the
veneers sliced from the block correspond to
those of the natural model or the wanted look.
The number and build-up of the figures can be
freely selected and the suitable colour can be
produced.

Fig. 43a (left) Striped

veneer, ALPI, Source:
TU Dresden

Fig. 43b (right) Cluster

veneer, ALPI, Source:
TU Dresden
 veneer in Interior Work 35
Chapter 3 Veneering

Another option is to glue sawn timber lamellae

together to form a block, which is then sliced.
Gluing lamellae of one wood species creates a
high-quality surface with elegant and unador-
ned aesthetics. By combining different wood
species, it is possible to produce a highly con-
trasting surface with striped look. The surface
patterns can be repeated at any time with
exactly the same look (Fig. 44 and 45). The
Fig. 44
wood surface is supplied in standard sizes.
Veneers made of joined
strips,
Source: Vinterio AG

Fig. 45
Surface veneered with
Vinterio Nimbus veneer,
Source: Vinterio AG
 36 veneer in Interior Work
Chapter 3 Veneering
3.3.2 Shaping and designing
3D veneer
The term 3D veneer stands for three dimen-
sional deformable veneer, which enables
deep-drawing comparable to sheet metal
forming. To achieve this deformability, the
veneer is machined and reinforced with glue
threads on the back. The veneer match is
completely retained. The veneer is only made
stable by the extensive gluing. It is approx. 1.15
mm thick. Due to the large veneer thickness,
the bending radii possible in the longitudi-
nal fibre (grain) direction are limited. Woods
that are suitable for use as a face veneer in
3D veneering are, e.g. beech, European oak
or Fineline veneers. 3D veneer can be used
Fig. 46
not only to produce shaped laminated wood,
„Woodon“ cherry,
such as moulded seats, but also for overlaying
Design: Möller Büro für
shaped surfaces (Fig. 46).
Gestaltung
Source: Reholz GmbH
Laminated veneers
Veneers with a special non-woven or paper
backing are a further refinement of the non-
woven laminated veneers described in Chap.
3.2. They are particularly suitable for multi-
dimensional deformations and difficult to work
surfaces. The composite material is made
more flexible by sanding it to a small final thick-
ness. Thinner materials are more easily shaped
than thicker materials. The non-woven lamina-
tion increases the strength of the material. All
wood species are suitable for processing to
produce such veneers. Even figured veneers
become completely smooth and can be easily
further processed. The non-woven laminated
fixed sizes can be lacquered, sanded or given
a finished surface.
Flexing
Another option for increasing flexibility is so-
called flexing of non-woven laminated veneers.
Here the laminated veneers are subjected to
special print pressure treatment in a flexer
(roller press). As a result of this pressure
treatment, the wood microstructure is broken
down and changed so that it becomes very
supple and flexible. The result is a material
with which very tight bending radii can be over-
laid and which has post-forming quality. The
appearance of flexed veneers does not differ
from that of normal veneers; however, due to
the changed microstructure their strength is
reduced.

3.3.3 Special properties
Fire safety
Untreated veneer, just like solid wood, is clas-
sified as normally flammable to DIN 4102 Part
4 and is therefore a class B2 construction
material. Therefore, attaching an unprotected
veneer to a substrate with „flame resistant“
quality finish results in loss of the fire safety
performance, especially with regard to the
spread of fire via the surface. It is therefore
necessary to finish the veneer to the same
quality or to test the fire performance of the
composite material. Special substrates are
normally used if requirements exist with regard
to fire loads. For particleboard panels with
construction class B1, according to DIN 4102
Part 16 it is specified that if the surface is over-
laid with real wood veneer, the fire performance
of the composite material must be tested.
The flammability of veneers is mainly affected
by the surface coating. Here it is possible to use
lacquers that form insulating layers. So-called
intumescent agents are synthetic resin-based
fire retardants which, if exposed to high tem-
peratures, form a protective foam layer on the
wood surface, which acts as a heat insulator.
This impedes the penetration of oxygen into
the wood and therefore prevents the surface
from bursting into flames. In addition, it is also
possible to impregnate the veneer with flame
retardants containing salts (e.g. ammonium
phosphate), in order to fulfil the fire safety
requirements.
In general, if flame retardants are applied in or
onto the veneers, it is necessary to check the
compatibility of the retardant with the coatings
or adhesives to be used.
veneer in Interior Work 37
Chapter 3 Veneering
Flame resistant formed wood that conforms to
construction material class B1 is already used
to produce shaped laminated wood, such as
moulded seats of chairs and can be produced
using real wood veneers as the top layer.
Decorative, inflammable veneered fireproof
panels are produced as semi-finished pro-
ducts for interiors. They can be used for wall
and ceiling panelling, panels, cabinet walls
or for fire doors. Non-flammable boards with
construction material class 2 are produced
using a special production method in combina-
tion with a lacquer.
Sound insulation
The absorption properties of wood generally
depend on the wood species, the density
of the wood and the size of the pores. Due
to its small thickness, veneer has little effect
on the acoustic properties of the component
and cannot make any primary contribution to
sound insulation. However, it should be noted
that continuously veneered surfaces have a
negative effect on absorption performance.
In general if such requirements exist, drill-
holes or slots / chasing should be distributed
over the whole area to increase the degree of
absorption.
38 veneer in Interior Work
Chapter 3 Veneering
Moisture resistance
To improve the moisture resistance and there-
fore the dimensional stability of materials made
of veneer, options have been developed, which
are currently limited to use in laminated formed
wood (moulded seats). The background to
these developments is the possibility of using
chairs made of laminated wood in outdoor
areas.
One option for producing weatherproof lami-
nated formed woods is to use veneer, which
is made moisture resistant by introducing a
solution. This solution contains so-called cross-
linking molecules, which penetrate the cell
walls of the veneer and cause cross-linking of
the cellulose fibres. The subsequent pressing
to produce laminated formed wood, creates a
permanently moisture resistant moulded part.
A further option for producing such lamina-
ted formed wood is to use thermally treated
veneers. The so-called thermo-formed wood
is changed by the thermal modification to the
cell structure so that the swelling an shrinkage
behaviour reduces by approx. 50 %.
With both modification methods, laminated
formed woods with durability class 1 (very
durable) are achieved.
Electrical conductivity
The electrical conductivity of wood depends
on the wood moisture content. As the wood
moisture content reduces, the electrical resi-
stance increases sharply. This property is
mainly important for flooring surfaces. Here
it must be noted that the surface treatment
of the wood especially affects its electrosta-
tic behaviour. Relevant characteristics for the
electrostatic behaviour of a flooring are the
chemical composition and structure of the
surface coating of the materials that touch
each other (shoe soles and floor surface) and
their electrical resistance, walking speed and
humidity. Wood floorings treated with oil or
wax are usually antistatic and therefore prevent
the building up of higher electrostatic charges.
One exception is UV cured oils, which allow
higher charges. Lacquered wood surfaces also
charge somewhat higher if no measures are
taken to reduce the charge.
 veneer in Interior Work 39
Chapter 3 Veneering

3.4 Surface treatment of

veneered surfaces
3.4.1 Pretreatment methods
Pre-sanding before lacquering
Flat veneered surfaces must be finished with
fine sanding (where possible by machine,
or by hand) before the surface treatment.
Cross-grinding should be used to produce
high-quality surfaces. The veneer is sanded
across the grain first and then parallel to it.
Depending on the surface coating, the grit size
of the sanding paper must be chosen accor-
ding to the manufacturer‘s instruction. For
example, water-based lacquer systems require
finer sanding (grit size 180 – 220 depending
on wood species) than for solvent-containing
lacquer systems (grit size 150 - 180). The
sanding should be carried out as near as pos-
sible as the surface coating (max. 24 h), to
enable good adhesion of the veneer substrate
with the coating. Special edge and profile
sanding machines exist for veneered narrow or
profiles surfaces, to level out any unevenness
in the surface.
Measures for required colour stability or
difficult to coat wood species
Bleaching methods can be used to balance
colours in a veneer surface, to remove stains
or flecks and to reduce subsequent colour
changes. Bleaching is an oxidative process,
in which a hydrogen peroxide solution is used
together with a bleach activator. The surface
is then cleaned with water or steam and dried.
3.4.2 Types of surface treatments
Staining veneered surface
Solvent-containing or water-based stains can
be used stain the surface, in order to empha-
sise the grain of the wood or to balance colours.
In this way, all kinds of different effects can be
used. A positive effect is said to be achieved
if earlywood zones retain their light colour ad
late wood zones are dark stained. A farmhouse
effect exists if the pores of open grain woods,
such as oak, are stained intensively and the-
refore highly contrast with the remaining area.
Wood stains can also be used to level out
colour differences or to improve the light fast-
ness of the veneer substrate.
The application method to be used for stai-
ning is specified by the manufacturer. All stains
(except wax stains) do not provide sufficient
surface resistance and require subsequent
lacquering.

Partial deresinification of the surface of wood

species rich in resin also takes place before the
stain or lacquer is applied. Alkaline or alkali-
free wood soaps (including potash or soda) or
organic solvents are used for this.
40 veneer in Interior Work
Chapter 3 Veneering
Oils and waxes
Oils and waxes are based on natural raw
materials, such as oxidative curing linseed
oils or carnauba or bees wax. They make
the wood surface look and feel as natural as
possible (natural look). „UV curing oils“ also
imitate this effect of the natural appearance,
without containing any oxidative curing natural
constituents.
Natural oils penetrate deep into the wood, but
not form a film on the surface. They are there-
fore relatively sensitive to dirt, light and water.
Waxes on the other hand form thin films on the
surface, which improve abrasion, water and
dirt resistance. However, the films have little
chemical resistance. Combinations of both
coatings are often used in industrial coating, in
order to produce more resistant and breatha-
ble surfaces.
Hard oils or hard waxes are produced using
special compositions of the oils or waxes (e.g.
by using carnauba wax), which lead to harder,
more mechanically resistant surfaces, but are
by no way comparable to the resistance of lac-
quered surfaces.
Shellac is a special form of coating with natural
raw materials, which is still in use in some craft
firms and producers of bespoke products.
Lacquers and varnishes
Lacquers and varnishes for veneered surfaces
can be divided into water-based and solvent-
containing coating by the type of solvent used.
Depending on the type of drying or cross-lin-
king, a further differentiation can also be made
between physically drying, chemically cross-
linking or radiation-curing lacquer systems or
their combinations (double cure systems).
Lacquers and varnishes are used both in craft
trades and industrially. Compared to lacquers,
varnishes form smaller coat thicknesses in
interior areas. They are often slightly pigmen-
ted and let the wood surface show through.
Typical representatives of solvent-containing
lacquers are cellulose nitrate lacquers (mostly
called NC lacquers), acid-curing lacquers (SH
lacquers), two-pack polyurethane lacquers
(2K PUR or DD lacquer) and solvent-containing
UV lacquers. Important advantages of solvent-
containing systems are easy use, significant
priming of the wood and less sanding work.
Solvent emissions during use and from the end
product are a disadvantage. Use of acid-curing
lacquer systems is in sharp decline due to their
formaldehyde emissions.
Usable water-based lacquer systems are
non-self cross-linking and self cross-linking
1 pack water-based lacquers, 2 pack polyu-
rethane water based lacquers and UV curing
water-based lacquers. They have far better
environmental and health properties, but
require significantly greater time and effort
for their application and drying. The visual
appearance of the surface is often poorer than
with solvent-containing systems.

A special form is the „100% UV lacquers“,
which contain virtually no solvent. They are
industrially applied to level surfaces in rolling
processes and are then radiation-cured. The
surfaces have very good mechanical and che-
mical resistances.
Melamine-resin based overlays
In rare cases, e.g. for moulded seat parts
made of veneer or semi-finished products (real
wood laminates), melamine resin impregnated
overlay papers are pressed with the veneer
during production. They cure under tempe-
rature and pressure to form a highly resistant,
transparent, thermosetting surface. They the-
refore provide high protection against attrition
and scratches and are also resistant to perspi-
ration.
veneer in Interior Work 41
Chapter 3 Veneering
3.4.3 Recommendations for the choice
of application methods and
surface treatments
Selection depending on the required
surface look
The chosen application method affects the
surface look. For example, rolling the coa-
tings on flat components can produce very fine
groove-like structures, which are unwanted,
especially in high-quality interiorwork. Use of
the spraying method usually produces better
levelling properties.
Depending on the wood species, the surface
should be „primed“, i.e. the wood structure
emphasised. If using water-based lacquers,
it should be noted that these almost always
result in less priming of the surface. In the case
of light-coloured veneers, e.g. maple, this is
mostly not a disadvantage, as it means that
existing colour differences levelled out. Good
priming is desirable in dark veneers, e.g. cherry
(Fig. 47). Here the use of additional stains or
dyed lacquers can be beneficial.
Fig. 47
European beechwood
with different lacquer
systems: left NC lacquer,
right water-based lacquer,
Source: (IHD)
42 veneer in Interior Work
Chapter 3 Veneering

The gloss units or colour of surface coatings
are usually matched with the interior according
to taste. In the case of high-quality veneered
office surfaces it should be noted that certain
surface gloss and colour ranges must be com-
plied with by law to protect the eyesight of the
office users.
The users, designers and manufacturers
should agree the required look by producing
specimen lacquering using the planned appli-
cation techniques and surface layups.
Selection depending on the expected use
intensity and the place of use
The listed surface treatments have different
resistances to mechanical, chemical, climatic
and other loads (e.g. light).
thickness (dry coat thickness approx. 80 - 100
µm). Edge areas must also be properly sealed,
especially to prevent the transport of moisture
in the direction of the wood‘s fibres or grain,
which can cause greyness or swelling.
High-quality interiors of boats are exposed to
large climate fluctuations. Here highly-resistant
but also very elastic lacquer systems (e.g. two
pack systems) should be used.
In the case of veneered surfaces exposed to
strong sunlight, lacquer systems containing
sunscreening agents can be used, which signi-
ficantly reduce the speed of the colour change.
However, these systems are considerably
more effective with light coloured wood species
than with dark veneers.

In the case of horizontal surfaces, e.g. work To define the surface requirements, DIN 68861
or tabletops, they can be exposed to heat, Parts 1 to 8 provide a relatively comprehen-
attrition, scratches, impact or chemical loads. sive testing and evaluation system for furniture
The best protection against these is provided surfaces. Surface requirements for kitchen
by UV lacquers or two-pack lacquer systems furniture are defined in DIN 68930; RAL GZ
which, due to their greater degree of cross-lin- 430 should be used as a guideline for other
king, provide greater resistance than one-pack furniture.
systems (non cross-linking single pack water-
based or NC lacquer). Natural coating systems
have significantly lower resistances to mecha-
nical effects. However, they do offer the
advantage of easier renovation, which should
also be wanted by the end user. Worktop oils
also provide acceptable resistance to stains.

In places of use with occasional influence of

water or high humidity, for example, restaurant
installations, coating systems with higher water
repellence or lower water vapour permeability
are required. Solvent-containing 2 pack PUR
systems best satisfy these requirements. They
should be applied to all sides with large coat

Consideration of environmental
and health aspects
It should be noted that lacquer systems can
emit solvents, and this can last for a long time.
Therefore, use of lacquer systems with low
solvent content and almost completely solvent-
free 100 % UV lacquers or lacquers with low
solvent content, e.g. water-based lacquers,
is advisable for environmental and health
reasons, if their properties allow them to be
used.
Natural coating systems are also recommended
under environmental aspects. Nonetheless,
they can also contain natural solvents or give
off odour-intensive residual emissions, which
can also be a problem for sensitive people.
Lacquer systems which are perspiration and
saliva-resistant to DIN 53160 and which fulfil
the heavy metal migration requirements of EN
71-3 should be used for veneered items of fur-
niture used by children.
If it is known that end users react allergically to
specific substances, the coating manufacturer
should be asked whether they use these sub-
stances in their coating.
veneer in Interior Work 43
Chapter 3 Veneering
3.4.4 Care and maintenance of
veneer surfaces
Veneered surfaces have surface protection,
which simplify care and emphasise the beauty
of the material. Therefore, it is usually not
necessary to use wood polishes. Dust or light
soiling can be quickly removed with a dry, soft
leather cloth (chamois). Greater soiling can be
rubbed off using a damp cloth and then rubbed
dry without pressure using a soft cloth.
Coffee, tea, alcohol and fruit stains should be
removed and rubbed dry immediately using a
damp cloth. Even scratches and scrapes can
be easily used. They are filled with hard furni-
ture wax with the right colour and are coated
with lacquer or varnish. This restores the pro-
tective layer.
 44 veneer in Interior Work
Chapter 4 Examples of Veneer

4 Examples of Veneer Use

4.1 Components

Component (also known as structural members)

is a general term used to describe the indi-
vidual parts from which a structure is made.
They can be e.g. ceilings, walls, columns or
floorings. They also include windows and
doors. Figures 48 to 50 show several examp-
les, where veneered components are used.

Figure 48 shows wall panelling in the new

Fig. 48
synagogue in Dresden. The architects‘ design
Wall panelling in the new
specified that the outer envelope of the buil-
synagogue in Dresden,
ding and the interior design should not affect
Photo: Bernadette
each other anywhere. Therefore, there are no
Grimmenstein, Source:
anchorings and no visible connections with the
Deutsche Werkstätten
external building envelope. To ensure safety
Hellerau
and durability, a substructure made of steel
was designed. It carries the panels, which were
overlaid with an oiled, unlacquered oak veneer.
The panels were partly perforated to improve
the acoustics in the cuboid synagogue room.
The very homogeneous form of the veneer
matching is underlined by the regular joint size
of 5 mm between the individual panels. The
joints surround the gallery and east wall without
change in level. Installations such as doors or
shelves for the prayer book were fitted into this
joint pattern, which produces a uniform, calm
overall image.

The body of the door in Figure 49 is a light-

weight construction board. It has a honeycomb
core with solid wood edging strip and has a fine
Fig. 49 finished veneer (Vinterio Walnut Stratus). The
Veneered door, Source: surface was coated with a satin matt polyure-
Vinterio AG thane lacquer.
 veneer in Interior Work 45
Chapter 4 Examples of Veneer

Figure 50 shows wall panelling made of oak

veneer in a lawyers‘ practice in Paris. Before Fig. 50
the renovation, the walls and furniture of the Wall panelling in a
lawyers‘ practice were covered with different lawyers‘ practice in Paris,
materials, including veneers. Over time, the Source: www.oberflex.fr
highly used veneered desk surfaces were fitted
with glass sheets to protect them from further
loading. However, use of the glass tops would
have resulted in more disadvantages. Above
all, these included very strong reflection of
light, concealment of the veneer and the hapti-
cally cold and less pleasant surface.

The client‘s requirement was for the walls to be

fitted with panels as part of the renovations. This
was intended to lend the office a more modern
touch, without losing high-quality value. It was
also the client‘s wish for the office to be refit-
ted with real wood surfaces, however there the
requirement was for higher resistance in daily
use and easy cleaning. The architect chose an
Oberflex decor with satin finish surface. The
panels used are real wood laminates, which
are made of several layers of kraft papers as
substrate, oak veneer and melamine resin as
surface coating. The uniform sized panels with
their all-round joints produce a uniform, calm
and naturally attractive wall appearance. The
panels were produced with veneer matching
agreed in advance by the architects. Parts of
the furniture surfaces were produced to have
an acoustic effect.
 46 veneer in Interior Work
Chapter 4 Examples of Veneer

4.2 Interior work

Interior work is the (artistic) design of interior finish for the furniture and walls. White lac-
spaces. Figures 51 to 53 show rooms in which quered oak boarded parquet was used for the
veneered components have been integrated in flooring. The seating was installed gently rising
the room design. on a metal substructure. It is laid out in solid
lenticular rows, which also follow the wooden
Figure 51 shows a large meeting room in the panelled walls of the long sides of the room.
mdr Landesfunkhaus in Dresden. This room The room is covered by a glass roof structure
has fold-down media walls at both ends. These and is fitted with a semi-transparent lighting
were made from Lignoform acoustic panels and ceiling. This makes the room appear to be
veneered with European maple. The radiator bathed in light.
panelling is also made of maple. The flexibly
adaptable conference table that can seat 24
was also overlaid with European maple.
Fig. 51
mdr Landesfunkhaus
Figure 52 shows the cloakroom and the foyer
Dresden,
area of the international congress centre in
Photo: Lothar Sprenger,
Dresden. In this building, perspectives are
Source: Deutsche
important. They create the visual link with the
Werkstätten Hellerau
meadows of the River Elbe. The foyer area,
kept dark, forms a perfect background for the
view in the direction of the River Elbe. This
area is designed with dark stained oak in con-
trast to light-coloured floorings and ceilings.
This contrast is repeated in many places within
the building complex.
Fig. 52
International Congress The plenary chamber of the Bavarian parlia-
Center Dresden, ment (Figure 53) was renovated and structurally
Photo: Bernadette altered in 2004 – 2005 to planning and design
Grimmenstein, Source: by the architects Volker Staab (Berlin). The
Deutsche Werkstätten walls and furniture were to be given a natural
Hellerau character with fine visible grain. The colour
was to produce a homogenous appearance in
the room without concealing the naturalness
of the wood. The architect opted to completely
design the room with oak surfaces. For the
table and wall panelling he chose a bleached,
Fig. 53 light coloured dyed oak from Tabu. Flame-resi-
Bayerischer Landtag - the stant particleboard was used as the substrate
Bavarian parliament with with a matt UV-resistant lacquer as the surface
dyed oak veneer, Source:
www.tabu.it
 veneer in Interior Work 47
Chapter 4 Examples of Veneer

Veneered elements are also used for the inte-

rior design of mobile spaces. These include the
interiors of aircraft, yachts and boats as well as
vehicles such as cars and caravans.

Figure 54 shows the interior of a Mercedes

CLS car. Walnut figured veneer was used for
this high-quality interior design. To produce
the shaped part, the veneer is pressed onto a
specially developed multi-layer substrate and
is glued with an adhesive which, according to
the company standards, has to satisfy signifi-
cantly higher loads than a D4 adhesive. The Fig. 54
high-gloss surface was produced using an Interior of a Mercedes
unsaturated polyethylene coating, extensively CLS, Source: Dräxlmaier
polished.

Figure 55 shows an example of boat interi-

orwork. To highlight the fine character of this
bathroom, the veneer surfaces were coated
with a closed-pore high-glass lacquer and
were polished manually. This produces a mir-
ror-finish lacquer film, whose shine is similar
to that of the onyx panels used. The honey-
coloured semi-precious stone was used in this
bathroom in combination with root veneers.
To reduce the weight and for stabilisation, the
thin onyx panels were reinforced with painted
aluminium honeycomb panels. The pillars are
covered in veneer and have inset lighting ele-
ments, which reflect the leaf gold of the ceiling.

Fig. 55
Interior of a yacht, Photo:
Stephane Brarin, Source:
Deutsche Werkstätten
Hellerau
48 veneer in Interior Work
Chapter 4 Examples of Veneer
4.3 Invitations to tender for the
interior work
A high-quality interior is individual, so that it
is impossible to produce standard texts for
general use in tender specifications. On the
other hand, it is possible to give a precise
description of the appearance and the cha-
racteristics of the required surface or fitout.
An invitation to tender should always note that
the surface should be made of veneer. The
specification of the wood species precisely
defines the veneer to be used. If the wood
species is not to be explicitly specified, it is
possible to limit the choice by providing colour
requirements (see Chap. 2.3.3). Details of the
veneer‘s figure, e.g. striped, crown or ribbon
(see Chap. 2.3.4) define its appearance, so
that the veneer to be used is clearly defined
with regard to its appearance.
If a different veneer thickness is required to
the standard thickness (see Chap. 1.2), the
required thickness must be given. The produc-
tion of veneers with thicknesses differing from
the standard thickness usually involves greater
effort and therefore a higher price per square
metre.
To produce wall panelling or other veneered
surfaces, it is necessary to join the veneer
sheets (see Chap. 3.1). The veneer matching
specification defines the order of the veneer
matches, e.g. book matched or slip matched.
If special requirements are set for the gluing
of the veneers, due to the type of building, this
must also be noted in the tender specifications.
To this end, it is necessary to state whether the
building is exposed to frequent short-term effect
of condensation or high humidity or whether
the frequent, sustained effect of flowing water
or condensation is to be expected.
Also, any special requirements regarding fire
safety and sound insulation must be noted.
If veneered panels are used, e.g. tabletops,
it is necessary to state what is to be used to
overlay the edges or narrow surfaces. Veneer
edges, solid glued wood edging strips or other
materials are possible. Furthermore, it is
necessary to state whether the edge is to be
concealed (concealed edging strip) or visible
(glued edging strip).
Finally, the coating or lacquering of the
veneered surface must be described. This
requires details of the surface treatment
(lacquer, oil, wax) or the lacquer system –
closed, high-gloss or open-pored lacquering.
Special treatments or effects, such as staining
or producing a brushed surface, must also be
named here.
 veneer in Interior Work 49
Chapter 4 Examples of Veneer

Examples of wordings to describe a surface

are as follows:

• Surfaces made of cherry veneer with

crown figure

• The wall is to be matched, the matching

is to be produced by book matching the
veneer sheets

• Tabletop veneered with cherry, crown

figure, edging with stainless steel edge

• All gluing must be designed so that they

withstand the sustained effect of high
humidity

• Coating of all surfaces with open-pored

lacquering

The release, i.e. final selection of a surface

is usually made following sampling, i.e. exa-
mining examples of surfaces to decide on
preferences. Here it must be ensured that
representative areas are sampled. DIN A3
size samples are commonly used. Areas of
this size give a good impression of the visual
effect and are also transportable.
50 veneer in Interior Work
Glossary
Glossary
A Bedroom length:
Alternating spiral grain:
The wood fibres run spirally around the trunk
axis, where bands of annual rings turn alter-
nately clockwise and anti-clockwise around the
middle of the trunk (the axis).
Annual ring:
Annual growth zone of a tree with clear sepa-
ration between the wood produced during the
vegetation phase (spring: earlywood) and the
vegetation rest period (latewood)
„Appled“:
Term derived from French word „Pommelé“
(Pomme = apfel) denoting a special regular
figure in the veneer, which can remind people
of apples (rounded or knobbed form, like the
pommels of sword hilts).
As-cut pack:
A pack made up of all the veneers produced
from a complete log or flitch, which are offered
and sold as veneers with all the qualities con-
tained in the log. (Book matched)
B Sometimes called heart instead of crown.
Backing boards:
The veneer block must be clamped in the
machine to produce the veneer (slicing). The
area clamped in the machine and held by the
clamps cannot be made into veneer and is left
over.
Bald:
Veneer match, which has no figure in places.
Bark pocket:
Bark within the heartwood, found mainly in
grained woods, which has been overgrown
by the heartwood. (Also called ingrown bark,
inbark, bark seam)
Lengths of round wood (round timber) and
veneers between 2.60 m and 3,20 m. Bedroom
quality is mostly higher than the panel quality.
Birdseye:
Especially in birds‘ eye maple, the name given
to the eye-shaped figure of the veneer, but can
also occur in other species of wood (see Chap.
2.3.4)
Blade check:
Cracks in the veneer caused by poorly set
pressing bars in veneering machines (also
called knife, cutting or lathe check).
Blister:
A small bulge in veneer glued over the entire
area, which is due to insufficient glue in this
area.
Block:
name for a log or part of a login the log or
veneer form (also called veneer log, flitch, log
segment).
Cut figures are friezes with mostly half crowns.
Block mottle figure:
Irregular form of fiddleback or ripple figure,
which runs over the entire area of the veneer.
Blue stain:
Blue stains on the surface of the veneer, which
can be caused by inadequate removal of water
(too low heating output at pressing bar, too fast
slicing) during slicing, as water standing on the
surface of the veneer reacts with the constitu-
ents as a result of oxidation.
Book:
Name for a pack of veneer, mainly used by car-
penters. This is because the veneer sheets are
ordered and fold out like a book.

Book matched:
Veneers which are produced from a single
trunk/log and in which the matching within the
trunk exists.
Book matching:
Method used to join veneers, in which con-
secutive veneer sheets are glued together
with alternating front and rear side in order
to obtain mirrored matching (see Chap. 3.1).
Bubble:
1. Raised spot or area with faulty gluing (see
blister )
2. light-coloured natural wood discoloration,
round or oval shaped
Buckling:
Stresses in the wood mostly lead to wavy or
buckled veneers. If the buckling is extreme, the
veneer can break when pressed,
Bud/knot:
Name for a figure, roundwood or veneer
(masur).
Burr:
A bulbous growth on a tree trunk. Cut open it
produces burr figured veneer (also called burl,
knurl, gnaur, excrescence).
Burr figure:
Figure or pattern of veneers, made from burrs
(see Chap. 2.3.4). Burrs grow above the
ground (oak, ash, elm) or as a root burr under
the ground (madrona, myrtle, vavona, Califor-
nian walnut). Partially figured burrs and logs
are called half-burr or clusters.
C branch fork. The more exact the crotch (Y) or
Cancer:
Disease in European oak, which causes struc-
tural faults in the veneer, in advanced stage
appears as an open defect.
veneer in Interior Work 51
Glossary
„Cathedral“ layup:
Figure with uniform annual ring spacing and
absolutely straight growth. A variation of crown
(i.e. perfect arches). Sought after build up of
the texture in flamed figure packs. Is consi-
dered to be particularly elegant.
Checking:
Cracks in the wood, which follow the annual
ring. Parts of the log with this defect are not
suitable for producing veneer and sawn timber.
Cluster:
Only partly grained logs.
Coarse texture:
The annual ring structure of quickly grown
trunks, which produces an unwanted coarse
figure in veneer.
Condensate:
Yellowish looking liquid forming on the surface
of the veneer as a result of too rapid or too hot
drying.
Cross-band:
Veneer layer, which is glued at right angles to
the grain of the top layers of a plywood board.
Cross-banded:
Veneer strips which are cut across the fibres
(grain) and are used as decorative inlays.
Cross-band veneer:
Veneers, which are glued perpendicular to the
top layer to improve dimensional stability and
are not visible.
Crotches and buttresses:
Typical figure of the veneer made from a
buttress is formed, the higher the value of the
veneer (called pyramid figure in Germany).
Crown figure:
See figured
52 veneer in Interior Work
Glossary

Crown veneer: E
A name for veneer that has been sliced tan-
gentially from a log and has an oval or arched Earlywood:
figure or pattern. The part of the annual ring formed in spring
(also called springwood).
Cutover:
Type of processing through the stay log End-grain cut:
machine. Also called eccentric peeling. = cross-cut; across or perpendicular to the
trunk axis.
D
F
Diffuse-porous:
Deciduous wood with hardly conspicuous False quarter:
annual ring Production technology sliced veneers (see
Chap. 2.2.3.1)
DIN 4079:
Standard applicable in Germany for veneer Feather figure:
production, in which the standard thicknesses Another term for „pyramid“ figure (crotches and
are defined. buttresses).

Direction of fibre / fibre: Figure:

Growth, i.e. longitudinal direction of the tree (grain) = figure, pattern

Discoloration:
Colours in the veneers differing from the
required colour, e.g. green stripiness in cherry.
Door length:
Lengths of round wood (round timber) and
veneers between 2.05 m and 2.40 m, which
are required by the door industry.
Dry density:
Abbreviation ρ, the mass of a unit volume of
wood, expressed in g/cm³. The dry density is
given for a specific wood moisture content.
Most wood properties depend on the dry
density (also called apparent density).
Dryer marks:
See grid marks
Figured:
Another name for a crowned figure, flat sliced
figure (see Chap. 2.3.4). Produced by slicing
across the heartwood.
Fire-pored:
the pores can only be recognised with a
microscope, e.g. in maple, pear, cherry,
birch, beech, elm (also called microporous,
small-pored, fine-grained, close-grained, fine-
textured). These woods have a uniform figure.
Flake:
irregular veneer figure, which is mostly unwanted.
Flamed figure:
See figured
Flash:
individual figure markings, mostly starting from
branches are called flash, also called flares or
stria.
 veneer in Interior Work 53
Glossary

Flat-cut:
= crown cut, back-sawn, tangential section,
plain cut, slash cut (see Chap. 2.1)
Flitch:
see block
Foot:
Bottom end of log in roundwood or veneer, fre-
quently characterised by coarse annual rings
and unwanted colour variations, coming from
rootstock.
Foxiness:
Coloured changes to the end grains of a log
or the entire log if it is stored too long. If faci-
litated by direct sunlight or excessive dryness.
To prevent foxiness from occurring, the log is
either waxed at the end grains or is sprinkled
with water.
Frieze:
Striped veneer match without „figuring“ (rift or
comb grain).
Furniture quality:
Veneers of different lengths of 1 to 4 m within a
log, which can be used by the furniture industry.
G
Grid marks:
Imprints of the dryer belts on the surface of
the veneer, caused by faulty or improperly
maintained dryer belts. They can cause difficu-
lties during surface treatment.
Gum:
Black, spotted inclusions in black cherry
veneer, which can jump from one veneer sheet
to another.
H
Hairs:
Fine hair-like stains or patches, which espe-
cially occur in pear and maple, which can be
spread over the entire surface of the veneer
and are considered to reduce the quality.
Half-figure:
See cluster
Hardwood:
Term for wood with higher density, usually
wood of deciduous trees.
Heart:
The heart or centre axis of the tree (also called
stem axis or log axis)
Heart / heartwood:
Inner part of the trunk cross-section, which has
a different colour to normal veneer.
Heartwood crack:
Stress cracks originating in the middle of the
trunk. The location of the heartwood crack is
decisive in dividing the log for slicing. Heart-
wood cracks in the veneer are open and cannot
be used for veneer.
Horizontal slicing machine:
Slicing machine in which the log/blade move-
ment is horizontal.
I
Inlay:
Decorations made from veneer or other mate-
rials (e.g. metal or mother of pearl) which are
laid in or glued onto wood, very expensive and
is used in craft trades.

Inlay banding:
a uniform coloured or patterned strip of veneer,
which is used for decorative edges (also called
inlaid strips, inlay borders).
54 veneer in Interior Work
Glossary
Inlay borders:
Fine veneer strips (also called inlay strips, inlay
banding), inserted to separate veneered areas.
Interiorwork length:
Lengths of roundwood/logs and veneers over
2.65 m long and with top quality.
Irregular heartwood:
Irregularly formed heartwood (false heart).
K Mould stains seen as discolouration in the
Knots:
Small, round or oval, solid deformed buds of
branches
L Defects in the veneer that form holes. Loose
Latewood:
The part of the annual ring, which grows during
the last part of the growth period, i.e. after the
spring (also called summerwood).
Log:
Section of a tree suitable for veneer or sawing.
M Outer veneer:
Marquetry:
Inlaid work made by joining together small
pieces of veneer to form decorative patterns or
pictures.
Matching:
The joining of consecutive veneer sheets
from a pack (flitch) or an entire log to form a
larger veneer area is called veneer matching.
Because of their direct, consecutive order,
the veneer sheets have approximately the
same figure.
Mature wood trees:
Do not have a coloured core, but their wood in the
core is significantly lower in water content than in
the outer layer (pine, spruce, beech, lime).
Mineral:
Dark stains or inclusions in the wood, espe-
cially in American oak.
Mis-slicing:
Different thickness veneer sheets and in places
different thickness veneers. Mis-sliced sheets
cannot be avoided. Up to 5 % of a veneer deli-
very may be mis-sliced.
Mould stain:
veneer. Also called spots of mould)
O
Open defects:
knots, areas of rot, open heartwood cracks, all
have to be removed during processing. Solid
deformed branches are not open defects.
Open-grained:
The pores are large and can be seen with
the naked eye, e.g. in oak, ash, walnut, elm.
These woods have a vivid figure.
Better quality veneer, which is used for the
visible top layers (faces) of a workpiece.
P
Pack:
Cut packs of veneer, mostly bundled into packs
of 16, 24 or 32 sheets or leaves, which contain
consecutive veneer sheets. Usually the smaller
sales unit (also called flitch, bundle, packet,
parcel)
Panel length:
Lengths of round wood (round timber) and
veneers between 2.55 m and 3.30 m, which
are required by the panel industry. Quality is
mostly not as high as bedroom lengths.

Parcel:
A quantity of veneers prepared for customers,
often sorted and assembled with uniform qua-
lities.
Parquet marquetry:
A similar process to marquetry. However, here
the veneer is cut into geometric shapes, which
are joined to form decorative mosaic patterns.
Pattern:
Figure and colouring of the veneer march (see
also figure)
Peeled veneer:
Term used to described veneers made with a
specific type of production (see Chap. 2.2.3.2)
Pepper:
Black pin knots in yew or European beech
veneers, which produce the typical figure of the
yew veneer. The more pepper and the more
regular it is distributed over the surface, the
higher the quality of the veneer.
Piano egg:
A sought after layup of the texture in the flamed
figure packs. Is required for the fronts and
piano lids.
Pith (medulla):
Starting point of the annual rings located in the
middle of the tree trunk, brown colour
Pin branch:
Small, mostly very hard branch, which results
in slicing nicks, especially in European maple.
Pin knot:
Fine, overgrown tiny pin knot (bole sprout),
which is very difficult to see on the bark.
Appears in the end grain cut as a black mark
running across the surface.
Precipitation:
See condensate
veneer in Interior Work 55
Glossary
Pommelé:
See appled
Pores:
Relatively large cells of deciduous trees. They
are more or less visible in the cross-section as
round or oval openings and in the longitudinal
cut as pore grooves or needle cracks. Their
size, number and distribution is species spe-
cific.
Price appraisal:
Defining the price for a veneer log.
Q
Quarter matching/four-way matching:
Method especially common for figured veneer,
in order to produce highly decorative areas and
figures (fancy pattern, patterned figure). Four
consecutive veneer sheets are matched twice
and folded up once.
R
Radial veneer:
A type of peeled veneer, which is produced
by tapered peeling of the end of the log. The
method is similar to that of sharpening pencils.
Reaction wood:
Anomalous wood tissue, which has a nega-
tive effect on the useful value of the wood. The
compression wood of the coniferous trees can
be recognised by its high proportion of dark
coloured latewood. The tension wood of the
deciduous trees appears with a lightly silver
shine.
Residual planks:
see backing boards
Resin pockets (galls):
Pockets of resin inclusion in resinous conife-
rous trees, which can cause open areas in the
veneer and therefore reduce the quality.
56 veneer in Interior Work
Glossary
Rift:
Veneers made from quartered logs. See also
frieze.
Rift cut:
= radial cut; The cut runs along the medulla
rays and perpendicular to the annual rings. The
cut surface appears striped (see Chap. 2.1).
Ring pores:
Deciduous wood with conspicuous annual
rings
Root knot:
Figure in which the burr (knot) forms on the
root. The knot is located either entirely or partly
under the ground. Root knots are found in, e.g.
myrtle, walnut, maple, vavona.
Rose:
Overgrown branch, which leaves behind a
clearly visible feature in the bark. The earlier
the tree threw off the branch, the more difficult
it is to identify this feature in the bark.
Rotary peeling:
Method of veneer production (see Chap. 2.2.3.2)
Round trunk veneer:
The presentation of veneers, which are laid up
in the form of the original trunk.
S specific type of production (see Chap. 2.2.3.1)
Sapwood:
The outer, light-coloured part of the wood
between the bark and heartwood. In heart-
woods different colour of the sapwood. The
sapwood is usually cut off for veneers. With
several wood species, e.g. palisander and
European walnut, the sapwood is used deco-
ratively.
Sawn (saw-cut) veneers:
Veneers made by sawing (see Chap. 2.2.3.3)
Sheet quantity:
The number of sheets or leaves of veneer in
a pack.
Short end:
Lengths of round wood (round timber) and
veneers less than 1.50 m.
Short length:
Lengths of round wood (round timber) and
veneers between 1.50 m and 2.00 m.
Shrinkage:
The reduction in the dimensions of wood (and
accordingly of veneer also) when moisture is
given off.
Silver figures:
Depending on the cutting angle used for
slicing, the cells of the medullar rays become
visible in different ways. Visual interruption
in the overall pattern, which is desirable in
several wood species, e.g. plane tree wood.
Particularly marked in oak.
Single packs:
Packs of veneer taken out of the regular
sequence of a log, so that they no longer
match; mostly low qualities or friezes.
Sliced veneer:
Term used to described veneers made with a
Slicing:
Method of veneer production (see Chap. 2.2.3.1)
Slicing nick:
A diagonal notch across the veneer sheet
caused by a damaged knife. Typical slicing
error, which calls into question further use of
the veneer.

Slip matching:
Method of joining veneers in which the conse-
cutive veneer sheets are glued only with the
front side (see Chap. 3.1).
Softwood:
Term for wood with low density, usually coni-
ferous trees. However, there are also soft
deciduous trees, such as poplar or alder.
Specks:
General name for dark, solid colour changes
that have formed. Depending on the wood
species the cause is differentiated between
gum, hairs, resin pockets, bark ingrowth, sugar,
etc. Also called spatter or spots.
Spiral grain:
Spiral growth of a tree, which is caused by
external effects, e.g. wind. Severe spiral grain
can cause matching problems because the
annual rings detach from each other and leave
open spaces, which is why they are mostly
sawn.
Starter packs (end packs):
The first and last packs of a flat-sliced log.
These packs are mostly figured, are shorter
and have a lower value.
Stress crack:
Different growth zones and growth speeds
(weather side) in a trunk cause density diffe-
rences to occur, which can cause stresses in
the roundwood (log). If the tree is felled, stress
cracks can occur, which call its suitability for
veneer into question. Problems with beech-
wood.
Stripiness:
More or less clear differently coloured stripes,
mostly considered to reduce the quality. Above
all, common in European oak.
Stripy grain veneer:
See frieze
veneer in Interior Work 57
Glossary
Stump:
Bottom end of a trunk / log (also called stub).
Substrate:
The substrate material onto which the veneer
is attached.
Swelling:
The increase in dimensions of wood (and
accordingly of veneer also) when moisture is
absorbed as a result of storage of water in the
cell wall.
T
Tegernseer Gebräuche:
Set of standards commonly recognised in
the timber industry in which general rules
are defined for the sawing and veneer indus-
try (e.g. quality designations for sawn wood,
tolerances regarding veneer thicknesses and
defective sheets, etc.).
Tenar:
Zones formed by irregular annular ring build-up
in coniferous trees, which are particularly hard
and therefore cause difficulties during venee-
ring (compression wood, pressure wood, glassy
wood, redwood, hard streaks, bullwood).
Thick cut:
Veneers that are produced in thicknesses dif-
ferent to those specified in the DIN standard.
The usual thicknesses are 0.9 mm, 1.2 mm,
1.5 mm, 2.0 mm and 2.5 mm.
Thickness of veneer:
in Europe, thicknesses between 0.5 and 0.65
mm are usual. In Asia, veneers between 0.2
and 0.3 mm are mostly used. Thick cuts are
usually 1 to 3 mm thick.
Top log:
Top end of a log (roundwood or veneer).
58 veneer in Interior Work
Glossary

Toughness (viscosity): V
In irregularly grown or highly stressed trunks,
buckling or waviness of the veneers. Can also Variegated figure:
be seen as darker colouring along the annual Irregular veneer match, intensity mostly
rings. dependent on incident light. Caused by diffe-
rent growth anomalies, which cause irregular
Tractor tracks: figure.
Typical block formation, especially in beech; is
usually thought to reduce the quality. Veneer sheet:
The smallest veneer unit. In most cases they
True quarter: are bundled together to form a pack (packet,
Production technology sliced veneers flitch, bundle) of 16, 24 or 32 sheets (also
(see Chap. 2.2.3.1) called veneer leaf).

Trunk knot: Vertical slicing machine:

Figure in which the burr (knot) figure forms
aboveground on the trunk. Such knots are :
oak, ash, poplar, elm.
Tumbling:
Thickness fluctuations caused by vibration
of the veneer block on the slicing machine
or incorrect pressure setting at the machine,
which are regularly spread across the veneer
sheet as cross-wise stripes.
Turn over:
Presenting a log in which it shown pack for
pack.
Slicing machine in which the log/blade move-
ment is vertical.
W
Wavy block:
See figures Chap. 2.3.4
Wavy / Wavy figure:
Ribboning running in a direction across the tree
axis in a tangential direction, with wavy fibre
and annual ring development. Produces an
irregular veneer match (see variegated figure,
flake) (also called curly figure)

U Whisker:
Very fine blade nicks, which disappear during
Utility grade veneer: surface sanding of the veneer and therefore do
Lowest quality category of veneers, which not impair the veneer (also called burr).
are mostly used as cross-band veneers or for
areas that are not visible. Also called backing Wide-ringed:
grade. Can also be sold by weight. A name for wide-ringed (coarse-grown, coarse-
grained) wood with large pores.

Wild figure:
Irregular figure which changes direction and
makes the wood difficult to machine.
 veneer in Interior Work 59
Glossary

Wood defects:
Each defect, which impairs the appearance of
the tree, which makes machining or veneering
difficult and which reduces the value of the
wood for a specific use; frequently also called
a growth feature (e.g. gum in cherry).

Wood rays:
Also called medullar rays. Cell tissue, radial
in the cross-section of the tree, which depen-
ding on the cutting direction is visible as lines,
stripes or stria (flake).

Yellow gum:
Yellowy brown flecks in American black cherry,
which are considered to reduce the quality, as
they are still visible after surface treatment.
60 veneer in Interior Work
Text sources and further literature

Sources

Text sources and further literature

DIN 4079: Veneers. Dicken, May 1976

DIN 68330: Furniere. Begriffe, August 1976

Furnier-Magazine, DRW Verlag, veneer magazine published annually

N. N.: Fachwissen Holz, Furnier, 3rd edition, Wiesbaden 2004, Publisher: GD Holz, IFN,
Wehmeyer-Fonds

n. n.: Faszination Furnier, information brochure produced by Danzer

Nutsch, W.: Fachkunde für Schreiner, Haan-Gruiten 1990, Verlag Europa-Lehrmittel

Soiné, H.: Holzwerkstoffe – Herstellung und Verarbeitung, Leinfelden-Echterdingen 1995,

DRW-Verlag

Wagenführ, R.: Holzatlas, 6th edition, Leipzig 2007, Fachbuchverlag Leipzig

Zimmer, D., nentwig, a., schwarz, G., schweer, m., Plasberg, P., schelper, J.: Der becker, Form-
holz Kompendium, Brakel 2006, Publisher: Fritz Becker KG

Sources

http://www.danzergroup.com

http://www.veneerwood.com

Fachwissen Holz – Furnier, Herausgeber Gesamtverband Deutscher Holzhandel e.V.

Lexikon der Holztechnik, VEB Fachbuchverlag Leipzig 1990

The sources of photos and images are given directly under the figures and photos.
 veneer in Interior Work 61
Brief portrait of the IHD and TUD

Brief portrait of the IHD and TUD

Institut für Holztechnologie Dresden gemeinnützige GmbH - IHD

The „Institut für Holztechnologie Dresden“ is a not for profit organisation which, as an industry-
focused body, supports the European timber processing industry with applications-oriented research
and development work.

• Material, product and technology development under the aspect of increasing energy and
raw material efficiency
• Use of raw materials, use of alternative materials, wood modification
• Development of auditing methods for product monitoring and quality assurance
• Basic studies and research into wood biology, chemistry and physics
• Damage analyses, expert reports

In addition, its subsidiary, Entwicklungs- und Prüflabor Holztechnologie GmbH provides accredited
tests, monitoring and certification work and services.

Focal areas of research:

• Development and optimisation of wood-based materials
• Wood protection; natural binders and coating materials
• Lightweight materials, thermal modification of wood
• Determination of emissions (formaldehyde, VOC)
• Analysis and evaluation of wood preservatives
• Biotechnology, diagnostics of microorganisms (fungi, bacteria, etc.)

Professur für Holz- und Faserwerkstofftechnik der Technischen Universität Dresden - TUD

At the „Professur für Holz- und Faserwerkstofftechnik“ - chair of timber and fibrous materials of TU
Dresden, students are educated as qualified engineers in timber and fibrous material engineering.
Apart from providing higher education and training for students, the chair‘s research work deals with
both fundamental theoretical and practical problems. The following profile lines define the chair‘s
areas of work:

• The material basics profile line deals with research into structural properties in the form of
basic material research.
• The materials profile line includes application-oriented research shaped by process enginee-
ring, in which natural fibre composites as well as lightweight materials with honeycomb struc-
ture or other biological material composites are developed and examined.
• The machining and processing profile line describes applications-oriented research shaped
by mechanical engineering, where new cutting, jointing and forming technologies are deve-
loped and existing ones are further developed, as well as developing new machining methods
and tools.
• The refinement profile line includes the material science based, basic and applications-orien-
tated research into thermal, hydro-thermal and biotechnological wood modification and refi
nement.
62 veneer in Interior Work
Imprint

Imprint

Publisher:

Initiative Furnier + Natur e.V. (IFN)

Authors:

Prof. Dr.-Ing. André Wagenführ,

Technische Universität Dresden, Institut für Holz- und Papiertechnik
Dr. rer. nat. Steffen Tobisch,
Institut für Holztechnologie Dresden gemeinnützige GmbH
Dr.-Ing. Rico Emmler
Dipl.-Ing. Beate Buchelt
Dipl.-Ing. Tino Schulz

Layout:

Dipl.-Des. Winfried Hänel

Dipl.-Ing. (BA) Daniela Einer

The technical information in this brochure reflected the recognised rules of sound engineering
practice at the time of publication.
Despite the careful preparation and correction, we are unable to accept liability for the contents

1st english issue 2012

Office:

IFN
Initiative Furnier+Natur e.V.
Flutgraben 2
53604 Bad Honnef - Germany

Phone +49 (0) 22 24.93 77-0

Fax   +49 (0) 22 24.93 77-77

zentrale@furnier.de
www.furnier.de
Your compass through
the world of veneer

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